


Blue Connie: Momswap AU | Steven Universe

by Tatttletale



Series: copy-and-pasted AUs [3]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Blue Connie, Blue Connie AU, Existential Angst, Existential Crisis, Gen, Momswap, Momswap AU, Pink Diamond is gremlin, but I lov her
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-03
Updated: 2020-10-08
Packaged: 2021-02-28 16:53:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 26,162
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23170510
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tatttletale/pseuds/Tatttletale
Summary: Rewriting episodes for Makalawa.exe's lovely Blue Connie / Momswap AU! I will be staying true mainly to Makalawa's details but tinkering a little with certain plot points.Chapters rewritten so far:✧ Gem Glow✧ Together Breakfast✧ Bubble Buddies✧ Steven's Lion✧ Jailbreak✧ The Zoo Arc- Steven's Dream- Gem Heist- That Will Be AllPlease go check out the artist/AU creator on:Instagram: makalawa.exePinterest: makalawa.exeTumblr: makalawa-dot-exeYouTube: makalawa.exeRedbubble: makalawa-exeHypeAuditor: makalawa.exe
Relationships: Blue Diamond & Pink Diamond & Yellow Diamond (Steven Universe), Blue Diamond & Pink Diamond (Steven Universe), Connie Maheswaran & Doug Maheswaran, Connie Maheswaran & Peridot, Connie Maheswaran & Steven Universe, Connie Maheswaran/Steven Universe, Jasper & Connie Maheswaran, Jasper & Lapis Lazuli & Peridot (Steven Universe), Jasper & Lapis Lazuli (Steven Universe), Jasper & Peridot (Steven Universe), Lapis Lazuli & Connie Maheswaran, Lapis Lazuli & Peridot (Steven Universe), Pink Diamond & Yellow Diamond (Steven Universe)
Series: copy-and-pasted AUs [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1753969
Comments: 18
Kudos: 51





	1. Gem Glow

**Author's Note:**

  * For [RegularCitrus](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RegularCitrus/gifts).

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Connie struggles to activate her gem and summon her weapon.

It was a sunny day. The seaside town of Beach City was pleasantly quiet.

Connie Maheswaran bolted across the boardwalk and stumbled, panting, into the Big Donut.

"Sadie! _Sadie!_ " she cried, making a beeline for the kind-faced cashier. She staggered up to lean on the counter, panting, and looked up at her with pleading eyes. "The _Spirit Morph Saga_! It's cancelled! They've removed all the books from stock!"

"Is that that nerdy thing you've been going on about for the last few months?" the other worker grunted from where he crouched by the shelves, stocking them with bags of dried fruit snacks.

Connie flushed, and Sadie reached out to give her a pat on the shoulder. "Lars, don't be such a jerk. I'm so sorry, Connie. I guess they stopped making money."

"But how?" Connie folded her arms on the counter and laid her head down. "It was only the most popular series of the 21st Century!"

"Guess the hype's over," Lars shrugged. "They probably couldn't compete with _Adolescent Colossus._ "

" _Adolescent Colossus_?" Connie straightened, frowning as she remembered the comic stand at the bookshop. "But. . . nobody _likes_ them! Whose idea was it to just. . . throw the sidekicks of the five best AC superheroes into one building and have them eat pickles? A five-year-old could have written it!" She groaned. "The entertainment market must be at its all-time low. . ."

Across the room, Lars stood and made a painful sound. "Well, I'm gonna take a break. I can't handle you two nerds right now."

Sadie shot him a sour look.

Connie sighed. "I never even got to finish the series! And when I return the third book to the library they'll just get rid of it. Is it illegal to steal library books if they're going to recycle them anyway?" She paused for a moment, thinking. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she could hear her father's stern voice. _Theft is theft, Connie._

She made a pitiful sound and Sadie turned to her, face softening. "Hey, tell you what. My Mom bought me the first book for my birthday a few years back. . . I've never read it. Actually, I think I left it around here somewhere. You can take it, if you want."

"Could I?" Eyes wet, she smiled up at Sadie's nod. "Thank you so much." It was at moments like these she remembered why she had naturally gravitated to Sadie when she first started frequenting the Big Donut—only on weekends, though. She may be living with the Gems now, but her dad remained strict on her dieting habits.

A few minutes later, Sadie emerged from the storage room with a thick book in hand, and blew the dust off before she passed it over the counter to Connie.

"Thank you so much, Sadie! You're the best." She hugged the book to her chest happily and turned to leave. "I'll see you next weekend!"

Sadie gave a soft laugh. "Sure thing, Connie."

✧✧✧

Connie jogged across the sand, book stashed in her backpack. In a matter of seconds she was up the slope and lugging her bag up the stairs, slipping through the front door.

"Hey, Lapis! Peridot! Jasper! Guess what Sadie—"

She saw something hurtling toward her in her periphery and jumped back, not a moment too soon. When she composed herself, she found herself staring down at some sort of one-eyed monster. Its jaws snapped shut centimetres from her feet and she stepped back nervously.

A huge watery hand came out of nowhere and grabbed the creature up in its fist. Connie sighed in relief. "Thanks, Lapis."

"Hey, no problem," she replied, and clenched her hand. Her modified water wing clamped around the thing and it squealed before disappearing in a billow of greenish smoke.

On top of the warp pad, Peridot was fending off attacks from multiple creatures, hissing and shooting lasers all around her from her glowing touch stumps. When one managed to clamber up onto the warp pad next to her, she shrieked and booted it across the room with a limb enhancer. Jasper snatched it from the air and, imprisoned in her muscular hands, it was squeezed until it poofed into another green cloud.

As Connie watched, Lapis (unnecessarily) flew after some getaways while Peridot began to shoot at a creature hiding beneath the coffee table. All over the room, creatures were swinging from the ceiling, chewing cushions and snapping at the TV.

"Uhh," she said as she let her bag down. She watched one scuttle in front of her. "What are these things?"

Peridot huffed. "We apologise, Connie. We'll get these. . . _things_ out of your room." She picked one up and held it fast, limb enhancers outstretched. She looked mildly repulsed. "They were most definitely trying to get into the Temple."

Connie padded up beside her, gazing warily at the creature. "You didn't answer my question."

Peridot scowled. "They're centipeetles. At least, that's what Lazuli named them."

Lapis shot Connie a wink from across the room.

It was at that moment the creature decided to spit a gob of acid onto the floor in front of them. As Connie watched, the wooden planks fizzled and melted, leaving a great hole in the floor.

A few paces away, Lapis' wings lashed another centipeetle against the wall. It dropped to the ground, shrieking, and then poofed. "Peri, in case you haven't noticed, these things don't have gems," she called out.

Peridot huffed indignantly. "Of _course_ I noticed. It just means that they're budding clones—they must have grown off a host nearby."

"We should probably find it before it destroys more of the Temple," Jasper said hotly, and Connie glanced up to find her standing beside her. A centipeetle reared up next to her, jaws open, and received a fist to the face for its trouble. It poofed almost immediately.

Connie brightened. "Do you think I could see it first? What if it buds more?"

Peridot sniffed. "I think its main concern right now would be _not_ getting poofed. It's too dangerous for you, Connie."

Jasper clapped her on the back. "As soon as you learn to use your gem properly, Little Holly, you can come with us."

Lapis sidled up next to Peridot, who immediately shoved her still-struggling centipeetle into her arms. Lapis shrugged and made a deft movement, poofing it, and Peridot sighed in relief.

Connie stared longingly at where the creature at been in Lapis' arms. "But I never get to see anything you guys do. . . can't I come? Just this once? I need to know more if I want my gem to work!"

It was at that moment she noticed a centipeetle on the couch, reared up and scrabbling at the shelves built into the wall. They were lined with her books. " _Hey!_ Get away from there!"

She ran at it and it scampered away, bringing a heavy tome tumbling down to the ground. Connie darted forward and picked it up, scowling after the retreating centipeetle.

She turned and saw yet another centipeetle a few feet away, this time with what looked like a paper slip in its jaws. From where she stood, Connie could make out the printed pattern. "That's my _Herlock Sholmes_ bookmark!" she mourned, watching helplessly as the creature swallowed it.

Jasper delivered a swift punch and the incriminating creature was poofed, leaving the precious bookmark to tumble to the floor, which she then picked up and handed to Connie. Still irritated, she turned to drop it back in her bookmark tin—and gasped.

Where before there had been an empty shelf, a set of coloured book spines lined the space, ornate golden text blaring the titles.

"Oh. . . Oh my gosh. . ." she breathed, reaching out and running her fingers across them. "These. . . The entire _Spirit Morph Saga_! And—" she gasped in delight. "And the collector's _Guide to the Spirit Morph Universe_! But. . . they just went out of production!"

Peridot strutted up and pulled a book from the shelf, brandishing it for Connie to see. "Watercolour hardbacks, and with full illustration, of course."

"We heard they were cancelling," Lapis explained, gliding up to them, and rolled her eyes at Peridot.

"So we found one of the printing places and demanded the best ones! I got rid of the security guards and Lapis held the tour guide down while we picked 'em out."

_"Jasper,"_ Connie said, horrified.

"You're welcome," Lapis droned, flapping off the floor to lean an elbow on Peridot's shoulder. Peridot gave an irritated growl and pushed her away.

" _I_ was the one to make sure we secured the fourth rerun special edition," the green Gem said, matter-of-factly.

"And I grabbed the Guide to the Galaxy," Jasper put in.

" _Guide to the Spirit Morph Universe_ ," Connie corrected, and turned again to pull out another book and flip through, poring over the inked sketches. "But seriously. . . these are so beautiful. Thank you so, so much." She hugged one to her chest. "I'll cherish them forever."

She gave a contented sigh, letting her eyes close, a soft smile on her face. As the Gems watched, her gem began to glow, casting a blue light over the living room.

Lapis' mouth dropped open.

_"Connie your gem!"_ Jasper yelled tactfully.

She startled, opening her eyes, and looked down to where her mother's gem poked above her shirt. She gasped, eyes sparkling. "I'm— I'm doing it!" She dropped the book on the couch and spun to their resident technician. "Peridot! Help me! What do I do?!"

"Try and summon your weapon!" Lapis pushed excitedly.

"Just visualise it," Peridot supplied. "Try and draw it out."

Connie paused for a moment, trying to focus, but then the light began to fade. "Oh no!—it's fading! How do I make it come back??"

_"CALM DOWN!!"_ Jasper shouted helpfully.

Her advice turned out to be (unsurprisingly) useless. The light retracted back into Connie's gem, and everyone sighed. Disappointed, she let herself slump down on the couch next to her discarded book.

"I almost had it that time—I could feel it!" She sighed and combed a hand through her long hair, looking up at the Gems. "Do you think one of you could teach me how to summon my weapon?"

Peridot immediately stepped forward, unceremoniously pushing Lapis out of the way. "It would be my pleasure, Connie!"

✧✧✧

They sat together in Peridot's green room, surrounded by beeping screens and dashboards. Connie thought, absentmindedly, that if Gems had ships, this is what they would look like.

"Now, seeing as Holly Blue had a sword, it would be safe to assume that you could conjure one as well," Peridot said, eyeing the gem against Connie's chest.

"But. . . I'm a different person," Connie objected. "Shouldn't my weapon be different, too?"

"You may be a different life force, but you still share your mother's gem," Peridot explained. "The composition of the gemstone itself didn't change, so neither would its capabilities."

Connie only sighed. "If the gemstone still has the same abilities, why can't I use it?"

"Of course you can," Peridot soothed. "You're just inexperienced. You don't know how to control it yet."

"Wow, thanks," Connie said.

"Maybe if I helped you visualise the sword, you could summon it easier." With that, Peridot manoeuvred her touch stumps through the air and between them projected a holographic weapon, spinning helpfully. "It looked like this."

"Wow," Connie breathed. "It's so pretty!"

"She had a shield too," Peridot supplied. "Non-summoned, of course. But she lost that some time between meeting Doug and having you."

Connie felt a pang of guilt.

"Anyway, try and visualise this expanding from your gem. If you memorise the dimensions, it should be easy to shift and summon it into proportion."

Connie felt lost. "Do you think you could just. . . show me?"

Peridot only scoffed. "I don't have a weapon."

"What—? Why not?"

The green Gem flushed. "I'm. . . different. Besides, I have technological assistance."

She wouldn't answer any more questions.

Half an hour later Connie sat on the shoreline with Lapis, scribbling on a notepad.

"Whatcha doing?" her companion asked, leaning over.

"Trying to figure out the dimensions to my weapon."

"Oh no," Lapis groaned. "That sounds like something Peri would say."

"It was," Connie replied, without looking up.

"Here, let me see," Lapis said, more of a demand than a question, and took the notepad, screwing her nose up and staring at it. After a moment, she made a disapproving sound. "This doesn't even make any sense. What does. . . _(h x b x 1/2) + ab_ mean?"

Connie sighed. "I barely know myself."

"Here, let me just show you," Lapis said, and set the notepad down, standing up on the sand. "Whenever I need to use my powers, I just feel it. I pull it towards me and shape it how I like." She held out a hand, palm facing the sky, and lifted it up deliberately. A steady wave rose from the sea before them.

Connie blinked. ". . . Wait, is the sea your weapon?"

"Nah," Lapis shrugged, and let the water fall back in on itself. "I don't have a weapon."

Connie made an aggravated sound. "Am I the only one who does?!"

"Actually, Jasper has one. You should go to her."

Connie's audience with Jasper didn't help much either. They met on top of the grassy cliff, by the lighthouse.

"So I'm supposed to spend hours on sword algebra and then just. . . _feel_ it into existence?" Connie asked helplessly.

"Sounds about right."

She groaned, throwing her head back.

" _Or_. . . you just get real angry."

Connie paused. "That sounds really easy."

"Oh yeah, it is," Jasper replied. "You just gotta let all your energy bubble up and direct it towards something you wanna _obliterate_ —let the molten hate pour out and _crisp_ your enemies! Feel the fiery _strength_ in your hands as your wield the product of your warlust!"

She stood, hands on hips, backlit by the midday sun, a menacing grin splitting her face.

Connie blinked. "I'm not sure you should be tasked as my caregiver."

✧✧✧

"Two out of three said I needed to feel. So I think the most logical way to go about this would be to recreate what happened last time—let's see. . ."

Back at the house, Connie pointed to marked spots on the floor. "Peridot, Lapis, you were both here."

The two sidled back to their respective positions.

"No—switch sides. Peridot was on the right."

The Gems shared a confused glance, and Connie sighed. " _Your_ right." She turned, hand on her chin. "Jasper, you were next to the coffee table. On that cross."

Jasper stepped forward, arms crossed, and something caught Connie's eye. "Hey, what's that thing on the coffee table?"

"It's one of my robonoids," Peridot said modestly. "I'm working on a new prototype."

"Robo—? Okay, I'll ask about it later." Connie positioned herself carefully by the couch on another marked cross.

"Uhh, Connie," Peridot interjected. "I don't think this is how it works."

"Just—let me do my thing, please." Connie let her fingers run across the book spines, coming to rest on the first, which she pulled out and handed to Peridot. The Gem took it uncertainly and watched as Connie pulled the second book out, holding it to her chest. "Now I just need to. . . concentrate."

She let her eyes close and stood stock still, focussing on the book in her arms and letting her mind wander on Lisa and her mythic familiar. When she opened her eyes again, and glanced down at her gem, it remained dull below her shirt. She sighed dejectedly.

"Maybe I'm just a human."

Peridot stepped forward and laid her touch stumps reassuringly on her shoulder. "Don't be silly, Connie. That's biologically impossible."

The girl sighed. "I meant, I'm nothing special."

Peridot opened her mouth, but Lapis pushed forward hurriedly. "Of course you are. And even if you can't control your gem, you're still special to us."

Connie smiled a little. "Thanks, Lapis. That feels a bit better."

She gazed down at the beautiful book in her hands and smiled, warmth filling her chest. Running her fingers over the ornate cover, she smiled, glowing. Quite literally.

And suddenly, there was a hilt poking out of her chest. She looked down, surprised.

_"Connie! Your sword!"_ Jasper yelled, excited. _"Pull it out!"_

Tentatively, she clasped her hand around the handle and pulled, sliding the blade from her gem. It clunked to the ground the moment it was free, weight taking Connie by surprise. The blade fell a hair's-length from her leg and buried itself into the wooden floor.

Peridot made a strangled, fearful sound. Jasper grinned. " _Yeah!_ Hack that plank!"

Connie, meanwhile, couldn't tear her eyes from the blue blade. " _Wow_. . . it's so. . . pretty."

"Oh, don't worry about the design," Peridot prattled, stepping forward and gingerly lifting the sword from the wood, resting it a little ways away from Connie's mortal leg. "It's really very functional. And extremely sharp."

Connie's eyes were sparkling. "Could you teach me how to use it?" Bracing herself, hand still clamped around the handle, she pushed herself to her feet and lifted the huge blade, giving it an experimental downwards slash. It whizzed through the air with a whistle and and stopped with a loud _crack!_.

Peridot gasped, scandalised.

Connie gingerly lifted the sword from the newly-sliced robonoid. "Uh, sorry."

Peridot stepped around her with a litany of disapproving sounds and shot the thing with a beam from a touch stump, lifting it into the air. ["Connie, I understand that you're excited but could you PLEASE be more careful when you're swinging that thing around?!" ](https://www.instagram.com/p/B2_trl2ALWL/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link)Examining the floating gadget, she sighed. "You're lucky I have a duplicate in my room."

Suddenly, a deep quaking ran through the house and she promptly dropped the precious robonoid, letting it fall with another _crack!_ against the hardwood. When the company turned, they were met with dozens of shapes crawling past the windows in a low rumble.

". . . What was that?" Connie asked, nervously.

The three Gems ran outside with Jasper in the lead. They all craned their heads.

"It's the host!" Peridot cried, pointing. "That thing's where all the clones came from!" She raised a limb enhancer above her head, touch stumps spinning in a fan-like blur, and lifted from the ground, disappearing beyond the scope of the windows. Lapis followed, unfolding watery wings and launching off the balcony.

Jasper growled. "Connie, stay in the house," she ordered, and with an impressive burst of energy she, too, leaped up and out of view.

"No way," Connie breathed, and hefted her sword, holding it in front as she ran out of the house.

Outside, Jasper landed a strong punch to the enormous creature's head and scrambled down to the beach. It looked just like the things from before, except much, _much_ larger, and with a shock of white hair about its insect-like head. Shooting the thing with a few stray lasers, Peridot landed on the grass beside their leader, Lapis settling gracefully beside them. Barely giving the Gems time to adjust, the creature reared above them and let loose a stream of acid. They all scattered.

They barely had time to shelter behind the half-buried stone hand of the Temple before they were rained on with more of the sizzling substance. With a flash of light, Jasper mustered her helmet, staring uselessly as their makeshift shield began to melt under the onslaught. Peridot groaned. "If only Holly Blue hadn't lost her shield. . ."

The stream of acid dissipated and the Gems all looked around to see Connie standing before the giant centipeetle. Hands shaking, she brandished her sword. "Leave them alone!"

_"Connie, no!"_ the Gems shrieked in unison.

Decidedly ignoring their very un-encouraging calls and displaying more confidence than she felt, Connie drew a deep breath, ran forward brought the sword tip down on top of the creature's rear pincers—it slid through easily and into the ground beneath, anchoring the centipeetle in place. The thing shrieked in pain.

Lapis leaned out from behind the melting Temple hand, cupping her hands around her mouth. _"Go, Connie!"_

Still panting, Connie scrambled across the grass and out of reach of the thrashing creature.

"Gems, at the ready," Jasper commanded, and in a flash of light they exploded out from behind their melting shield, backlit by the dimming sunlight and standing tall, sparkling with the residues of the summons.

"Let's do it," Jasper growled, and her companions nodded in unison before they all rushed forward, Peridot powering up her touch stumps, Lapis conjuring water-fists from her wings—

The creature exploded in a billow of glittering smoke, leaving the green banded gem and Connie's sword to drop to the grass. Jasper bubbled it and sent it away.

The sword dissipated where it lay and behind her, Connie collapsed to her knees, panting with exertion. Lapis padded over and knelt beside her, resting a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, you did great. That was amazing, Connie."

Peridot appeared on her other side. "In time, you'll learn how to use your gem more efficiently."

"And then you can come on missions with us," Jasper finished, stepping up to the girl.

Connie gave a tired, but grateful, smile. "Thanks, guys. Really. And thank you for the books. They're beautiful." Clutching at her shirt, she looked up at Jasper. "If I learn to control it, you'll take me with you guys?"

"As long as you don't make a habit of destroying my robonoids," Peridot sniffed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those of you who didn't pick it up, ah, yes, "Adolescent Colossus". Any guesses to what awful CN show this is based off? (The name is supposed to be a mouthful. It is my fullest intention to ridicule this cartoon.)
> 
> Bonus points for those of you who can connect "DC" and what I renamed the company in this lil chapter. I guess my wit has hit rock-bottom, amirite?


	2. Book Club

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Connie wants to read her new books with the Gems, which leads her on an unwitting journey through the Crystal Temple.

It was 9am on a Friday morning. Connie was bored and lonely.

She sighed, gazing up at the colourful spines lining her new bookshelf, sprawled supine on the couch. She'd been itching to re-read the _Spirit Morph Saga_ but it somehow felt wrong to read it by herself. The Gems had been out all week and she had been waiting for a chance to get them all together, but either they were never in the same spot at once or they brushed her off.

Somewhere in the back of the house she heard the warp pad chime and she rocketed up, swinging her legs down to the floor and whacking herself on the coffee table. She winced but edged around it and hurried to the warp pad.

It was Jasper, some sort of dark scroll clenched in her fist.

"Jasper!" she motormouthed. "Are you free today?"

"I just came back to burn somethin'," the Gem mumbled, eyes scanning the room for somebody.

"Ah, well— maybe after that you could stay for a while," she said quickly, aware of her rapidly-shrinking time frame. "I wanted to get us all together because you've been out all week and I've been alone and I really wanted to read those books you gave me—"

"Uh huh," she replied, uninterested, and turned back to face the Temple door. "Tell Peridot to meet me in the Bubble Room when she gets back." She stopped for a second in front of the door, gem aglow, and then the door slid open and she disappeared inside. Connie couldn't catch her before the panels slid shut again, locking her out.

_"No!"_ she cried in frustration, and cupped her hands to her chest, willing her gem to light up. "C'mon, c'mon. . . please?"

Nothing happened. She sighed and turned back into the living room, just in time to catch Lapis swooping through the door. "Hey, Connie," she called.

"Lapis!" Out of all the Gems, Lapis was the most likely to listen. "You know those books you gave me a week ago?"

Her expression was relaxed as she landed in front of her. "Sure do."

"I really wanted to read them together with everyone! I've hardly seen you guys all week and Jasper was just here but she wouldn't listen. And I don't know where Peridot is."

Lapis looked confused. "I thought you could read just fine by yourself?"

Connie huffed. "Well, yeah, of course I can, but. . . I thought it would be nice to read them with you guys because. . . y'know. . . you gave them to me."

"Awww." She reached out and ruffled her hair. "You love us!"

["Agh! Lapis!"](https://www.instagram.com/p/B01V0mOgmhb/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link) She batted her hand away and smoothed her hair. "Of course I do!"

_"Awwwww!"_

Her patronising tone was too much. Connie huffed. "Have you seen Peridot?"

"Uh, yeah, I raced her on the way here. I beat her, obviously."

"We weren't _racing_ ," Peridot grumbled, swinging in the door. "You needlessly turn everything into a competition."

"Well maybe you wouldn't be so sore about it if your propeller wasn't so slow," Lapis smirked.

"It is _not_!" Peridot snapped. "I'll have you know my touch-stumps have an extremely efficient force-acceleration ratio."

_"Guys!"_ Connie cried, exasperated.

"Oh yeah, Connie wanted to read her books with us today," Lapis said, unruffled.

"Well I'm busy at present," Peridot huffed, obviously still sore over the jab at her technology. "Connie, I'll let you know when I have some time available."

"But—!"

She was gone, through the Temple door and out of sight in an instant.

Lapis shot her a sympathetic look. "Sorry, Squirt. Look, I'm sure they'll be done in a little while." She strode to the Temple door, activating it and walking through. "I'll come back out when they're ready, okay?"

"Don't you go, too!" she whined. "What if they come out and you're still in there?"

She didn't hear her. Exasperated, Connie bolted forward and launched herself through the door, slipping inside just as it sealed shut behind her. Once she caught her breath, she gasped.

She had never been inside Lapis' room before, but from what she could see it was _huge_. She stood at the edge of a rippling lake, dotted with what looked like half-submerged ruins, save for one towering, multi-levelled structure in the middle. It seemed to act like some sort of gigantic fountain, adorned with curtains of flowing water and multiple wide, overflowing circular staircases connecting the levels. The thinnest and highest-reaching of these seemingly counter-productive staircases led up a collection of semi-solid water towers, atop of which Connie could just make out Lapis' silhouette settling down.

The virtual sky offered a beautiful, expansive starscape that glittered and winked even in the lake's reflection. When Connie looked back down to the rippling water, she could see a collection of rounded, seemingly floating stepping stones leading across the lake to the middlemost structure. This room was. . .

_"Beautiful,"_ Connie breathed, and strode across the stone bank, stepping easily onto the first stone and continuing along the water. As she went, she noticed that the gaps between the stones grew larger and larger, and found herself jumping between platforms, footsteps echoing through the expanse.

_"Connie?"_

Lapis' startled voice echoed back to her and Connie squealed in surprise, miscalculating the leap to the last stone and plunging into the crystalline water. She gasped as she sunk beneath the surface, and found—thankfully—that she could breathe. Blinking and feeling none of the usual resistance against her open eyes, she gazed around from where she hung suspended beneath the water and found that the lake was much shallower than it looked from above.

In the next moment she noticed the lake bed moving beneath her, her hair streaming out behind her, and in a panic kicked up to the surface, breaking into the air and scanning around. She was moving fast, caught up in some sort of current, and when she turned she could see why.

A waterfall. A huge waterfall.

She gasped, kicking back against the current, but to no avail. It readily snatched her up and carried her along, the point where the water suddenly stopped growing ever closer, until she was tipping over, falling with the water, and she let out a scream that was immediately swallowed up as she was swallowed again by the rushing water.

The seconds stretched out, painfully slow, and she felt almost as if she were falling in slow motion. She kicked on instinct, but her actions were arrested by the water surrounding her and she was resigned to simply watching, her world a chaotic blur of foaming water and flashes from the outside, waiting for impact.

After what felt like ages, the toiling water snatched her up and carried her gently through the crashing foam and to the shore, depositing her on her feet. She was completely dry. Shaking her head, she gave up on trying to rationalise the Temple's magical physics to herself and cast one last glance up the waterfall before turning into the room—and giving a loud gasp.

She was surrounded by rocky walls adorned in moss and trickling with streams of pure water which flowed into many pools dotted around the room—if you could even call it that. She stood on smooth, dark rock but felt more moss squish beneath her feet as she started forward—a lush carpet maintained by the sparkling waters.

_I wonder if this is all magically generated?_ Connie's scientist brain was reeling. _If it was, and I could find the magic source powering the Temple, then we could solve fresh water problems across the continent._

The moss carpeting the stone underfoot and adorning the walls was tinged with a pretty blue, much like the other various rainforest plants that grew around. Cerulean ferns sprouted from the rock and teal vines draped like curtains alongside the miniature waterfalls. Overhead, a lush azure canopy allowed dappled light through to the rocky undergrowth, but Connie couldn't see any tree trunks holding them up.

_I wonder whose room this is?_ She glanced around. _I've seen Lapis' and Peridot's. Wouldn't Jasper's be. . . less blue?_

"Hellooo?" she called out. Her only reply was her own voice echoed back to her. Though it had walls, the room was huge—she could see it continuing in front of her, taking a bend behind another trickling cliff face.

"Empty, then," she sighed. But as she glanced around, she found there was another, bigger problem. . . "How do I get out of here?" she mumbled to herself.

A flash of light caught her eye and she turned to find one of the nearby pools rippling. She stepped closer, curious, and watched in awe as the water parted before her, leaving her a sandy path to a now-glowing archway in the pool.

_"Whoa,"_ she breathed, took a step forward. _Careful, Connie._ She could hear her father's voice in her mind, ever-cautious. _You don't know where that could lead to._ But her mission seemed to be becoming less about _The Spirit Morph Saga_ and more about exploring the Temple, safety be damned. She stepped forward and held her hands out, pushing them through the roiling portal first and following behind, closing her eyes as she faced into the white light.

When the cool sensation stopped, she opened her eyes to find herself in a brick chamber, aglow with a warm light. The first thing she focussed on was the circular lava pit in the middle of the room—no doubt the source of the light—and when she craned up, following pink crystal tubes to the ceiling, her mouth dropped open at the sheer amount of coloured bubbles hovering around the ceiling. There must have been hundreds of them—each translucent and with a different coloured tint, and each with a gem in the centre. Was this where they sent all the gems after the monsters were defeated?

Movement on the far side of the room and she turned to find Jasper and and Peridot emerging from one of the surrounding tunnels.

"Let's go over it one more time," Peridot was saying. "I'm going to lower the scroll into the pool, and you need to bubble the smoke."

"But why," Jasper said.

Peridot gave a frustrated groan. " _Because,_ I'm Era 2 and I _can't bubble_. You're Era 1 and you CANbubble. You _cannot_ lower the scroll into the pool _and_ bubble the smoke at the _same time_ because that's too much to handle."

"It really isn't," Jasper said.

_"For the love of—"_ Peridot stopped and took a breath. " _Please,_ Jasper, just humour me. All you need to do is bubble the smoke. That's it. And then I won't bother you _anymore_."

Jasper sighed. "Fine," she said, stepping up to the bubbling lava and handing the aforementioned scroll to her companion. "But I'm not _stupid_. I've lasted on this planet for five thousand more years than you."

Behind her, Peridot flapped her touch stumps in an approximation of a yapping mouth, and Connie bit back a smile. The green Gem stepped up next to her Quartz companion, unrolling the dark paper, and Connie tiptoed around to catch a look.

The thing was strangely beautiful. The paper was a deep purple but adorned with alien script and fluorescent, swirling patterns. She thought she could hear whispers as her eyes traced the bright lines.

No sooner had she taken it in that Peridot crouched by the pool and began to slowly submerge the scroll, prompting muffled shrieks as the paper burnt up. Where it disintegrated it immediately rose as a thick black smoke, and Jasper dutifully gathered the stuff and bubbled it. Connie remained silent, aware of the tense atmosphere. She didn't want to distract them from their task.

"See?" Jasper said, turning to Peridot with her bubble. "Easy."

_"Guys!"_

They all three spun around at Lapis' cry as she swooped into the room from one of the many arches, expression pinched. "Connie came into my room and I lost her! She fell down the waterfall and I don't know where she is! We need to find her and take her back out!"

Jasper and Peridot reeled in surprise and the bubble popped, thick black smoke funnelling up to the ceiling and dispersing like a stormcloud with a roar. Lapis froze, hovering in midair, eyes on the smoke. Then her eyes moved and landed on Connie loitering in the shadows. "Oh. There she is."

"Connie's _here_?!" Peridot whipped around, panicked, which gave the smoke enough time to swoop down and bat her aside. She was sent sprawling with a metallic clatter to the ground.

"Connie, get out!" Jasper yelled, summoning her helmet, and darted forward to deliver a swift punch to the noxious cloud. It growled and retreated back to the ceiling. Connie remained frozen, staring up at the thing. Maybe if she didn't move, it wouldn't come after her.

"Quick, Connie, come with me!" Lapis cried, and dove to her from across the room. The cloud easily formed a thin appendage and grabbed her around the waist, tossing her away and then seemingly turning to the vulnerable half-human girl. Heart pounding, she bolted, ducking under another smoke appendage, but didn't see where a single brick poked up from the floor and snagged her foot, tumbling to the floor. The cloud wheeled around and raced towards her.

_"Connie!"_ Peridot shrieked from across the room.

She hurriedly rolled onto her back to face the thing and felt a jolt from her chest. She glanced down, finding the hilt of her sword protruding from her gem, and in an impressive show of speed and strength yanked it out and, just before the cloud would have reached her, she slashed right through it, earning another otherworldly shriek.

It yowled again when Jasper landed another hard punch, sending it rocketing back up to the ceiling in search of escape. It wasn't so lucky; Lapis landed a double-hit with her improvised water-fists and Peridot managed to shoot a hole in it with her laser. Adrenaline buzzing, Connie dragged herself to her feet, hefting the sword.

Another laser whizzed through the cloud and in retaliation it slammed down on Peridot, slotting her head through the hole she punched in it and clamping around her body, rendering her useless. She shrieked and wriggled against the thing but to no avail.

_How can it hold her?_ Connie's science brain buzzed in bewilderment. _It's a gas!_

_Magic,_ came her speculative side.

Attempting to free Peridot, Jasper ran at the smoky amalgam, head down and readying for impact, but it seemed to be learning as it smacked her aside, sending her flying into the wall. A deep crack ran up the side of the chamber. Lapis dove in to help but it batted her down towards the lava pool, incapacitating her as half of one of her wings was submerged and dissipated into steam. She was thrown out of balance and sent careening away, flapping awkwardly with her half-wing.

Connie felt something inside her harden and she stepped forward, standing up straighter. _"Hey!"_

The smoke reared around, seemingly fixing her with an invisible glare. She crouched and brandished the sword. _"Leave them alone!"_

_"Connie no!"_ came Peridot's yell. "Just go!"

The smoke darted toward the girl and she lifted the sword, slashing through the cloud and sending it wheeling back towards the ceiling. She ran after it, following up with parries to eliminate the creeping tendrils it tried to send down, and bunching it into the middle of the room, and called out to Lapis, stranded on a crystal pipe in the ceiling. "Lapis! Can you manipulate lava?"

She seemed to understand as she shot out an arm, motioning as she drew the broiling stuff up and out of the pit. Connie gave one last slash to the cloud and then started as something grabbed her by the back of her overalls, yanking her back with great force. She didn't have time to scream before she felt a muscular arm wrap around her and watched as Jasper's other elongated appendage shifted back to its regular size.

With a cry of exertion, Lapis threw her hand up, pulling the lava up and around the noxious smoke. There was an ear-splitting scream and the chamber shook before the lava fell back into the pit, sloshing over the rim and further blackening the stone, but the cloud was gone. Lapis slumped against the pipe, spent.

Connie breathed a sigh of relief and dropped her sword, watching as it dissipated in a burst of sparks. Jasper let her down and strode across the chamber to catch Lapis when she dropped down, wing still regenerating.

"Anyone gonna help _me_?" Peridot grumbled from the floor, and Connie shook her head, walking over and heaving her up and onto her limb enhancers.

"Well done, Connie," Lapis smiled as Jasper let her down, sagging a little against the Quartz when her feet touched the floor.

"You proved to be very competent," Peridot added, brushing herself down.

"That's an understatement," said Jasper, stepping up and ruffling her hair. "You're really steppin' into your mother's shoes, Little Holly. Great job."

She smiled, even if her heart twinged a little at the comment about Holly Blue.

"Hey, guys," Lapis interjected, "Connie wanted to do something with us. We're all finished up with Gem business for the day, aren't we?"

"What's up, Squirt?" Jasper asked.

Connie found herself smiling.

✧✧✧

"So, are we going to set up a system?" Peridot asked from the couch. "A page each? A chapter each?"

"Chapters are a little too long," Connie said from the floor with the others. "Maybe two pages each?"

"Who's starting?" Jasper asked, book opened to the middle in her lap.

"You can, if you want."

The Quartz only stared blankly at her. ". . . I can't read human."

Connie sighed but shook her head fondly. "Okay, Peridot can start then."

Peridot snatched the book from her higher vantage point and delicately turned back to the first page. She cleared her throat. "Ahem. _The Unfamiliar Familiar. A Partridge Book, Hardback 978 0 385 61915 8_. . ."

"The next page, Peridot."

The Gem stopped, gingerly turning the page, and coloured. "Of course. Just making sure we're all paying attention—good job, Connie."

Jasper rolled her eyes.

"C'mon, let's start already!" Lapis called, lying prone with her face in her hands, and passed an open bag to Connie. " _Chaaaaps_?"

"Sure," she said, and took the bag into her lap. "Okay, now that we're on the right page, let's start. Chapter One, _The Morning Thief_."

Peridot took a breath. _"Lisa awoke with a start, the echoes of her dreams still dancing in her mind. . ."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can anyone guess whose room Connie found herself in after falling down the waterfall? :^)


	3. Bikes and Books

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Connie meets Steven.

Connie padded across the sand, face buried her newly-purchased book, _Alchemist Foul_. Rapidly immersed in its fantastical story, she wasn't watching where she was going and was suddenly knocked to the ground.

Gasping, she sat up, shaking the sand out of her book, and stared up at the culprit. A teenage boy, around her age, straddling a shiny bicycle with an electric-blue finish. He promptly jumped off, unceremoniously dumping it on the ground, and slipped off his red helmet, holding out a hand. "I'm so sorry! I wasn't watching where I was going! Are you okay?"

Hesitantly, she took his hand and pulled herself to her feet. "Yeah. . . I'm okay." She eyed the bike lying in the sand behind him. ". . . You were riding in the sand?"

He gave a nervous laugh. "Well , it's good exercise, right?"

"I guess so. . ." She brushed her shorts down, a little miffed. The boy seemed to catch onto the gesture and his face fell.

"Look, I'm so sorry. I really didn't mean to crash into you. I'll. . . I can, y'know. . . buy you an ice cream or something. To make up for it."

She shook her head. "No, it's okay."

"You don't like ice cream?" he cried, scandalised.

"No, I do, it's just— my dad's really strict about my sugar intake."

"Oh." The boy scratched his head. "Wow. Mine's the complete opposite, actually. He's always offering to buy me sweet stuff." Giving a nervous smile, he again held out his hand. "My name's Steven."

She could feel herself warming up to his friendly demeanour and shook the proffered hand, smiling. "I'm Connie."

When she let go he retrieved his hand, rubbing his neck awkwardly. "Uh, I'm sorry again for crashing into you."

"It's fine! I wasn't watching where I was going either. I just couldn't put my new book down."

"Oh, yeah?" he seemed to perk up a little. "Whatcha reading?"

"It's called _Alchemist Foul_ ," she replied, holding it out. "It's about this alchemist fighting a bunch of magical creatures from below the Earth's surface."

"Wow, that sounds great," Steven smiled. "I'll have to give it a read sometime."

"I can let you borrow it," Connie blurted before she could stop herself, more out of politeness than anything else.

The boy flashed her a dazzling smile and she felt her cheeks burn. "Thanks, Connie, that's really nice of you." Flushing, she let her eyes drop down to study her book, thoughts ticking over.

"Oh!—That's right, I'm sorry, I was actually going into town." Tucking the book under her arm, lest she repeat her mistake, she took a few quick steps forward. "It was nice meeting you, Steven."

He stared at her for a moment, seeming hesitant before speaking again. "Actually. . . do you think you could. . . help me out with something?"

"Yeah?"

"Well. . . my family just moved here, and I don't know my way around yet. I just thought, if you were already going into town. . . it wouldn't be too much trouble if I just tagged along, right?"

He seemed so cautiously determined, so quietly hopeful that she smiled. "Yeah, of course. I can show you around."

"Oh, great!" He hurriedly fell into step beside her, flashing her a friendly grin. "So, is that house back there yours?"

"Oh!—yeah. Me and my. . . family live there together."

"Aw, that's really nice. My parents were hoping to get a place right by the sea—that's why they picked this town. But you know that old abandoned carwash near town? They just bought it and did it up. Now my dad runs the carwash and we live out the back."

Connie suppressed a giggle. "Was running a carwash a dream of your dad's?"

"Oh, no no, actually he's always wanted to be a musician. He used to go touring but when he met mom he ran away from his manager and they had me. He still writes songs, though."

"That sounds really nice." She felt her heart sink a little bit, hearing him mention his mother. She wondered how it would have been like to grow up with both of _her_ parents.

Luckily, Steven seemed to be very charismatic and so easily re-established conversation. "He doesn't get paid for it anymore but he still enjoys it. He doesn't really work—but mom's a nurse and works at the hospital in the next town over."

"That's lucky," Connie offered. "Whenever you get sick you don't need to get admitted. You can just stay home."

"Well, yeah," he replied. "But it also makes it a whole lot harder to pretend to be sick to get off school."

"You skip school?" Connie asked, horrified.

Steven only shrugged. "Well, yeah, sometimes. Everyone does. You know how it is."

"Well, actually. . . I don't go to school."

He turned to her in surprise. "Really?"

"Yeah."

"Are you homeschooled, then?"

"Yeah. And I take online courses."

"Wow, that sounds so much easier. What does your family do, anyway?"

She hesitated. She didn't like lying, but telling him the truth would mean admitting that she lived with magical beings from outer space. She didn't want him to treat her any different than he already did—she didn't have any friends in the first place.

"Uh," she said eloquently. "My whole family's sort of. . . in the defence force."

"Whoa." Steven's eyes popped. "All of them? Isn't that scary?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well. . . aren't you scared you might lose them?"

The remark hit her like a blow to the stomach. She'd never thought of it like that before. ". . . No," she said eventually. "I guess. . . I trust them to say safe." By this time they'd reached the Big Donut, and Connie gladly took the distraction. "Hey, you wanna. . . go get doughnuts or something?"

Steven visibly brightened. "Oh, sure!"

The bell dinged as they entered the shop. Sadie looked up from the counter. "Oh, hey Connie! You're back again? I thought you were only allowed once a week. You know, trans fats and all that."

"Dad's out of town for the week. He won't know," she answered, glancing sideways at Steven. _Besides, extra doughnuts are the least dangerous thing I have to deal with._

Steven gasped, running over to a cat-eared freezer on the far counter. "Oh my gosh, you guys have Cookie Cats!"

Sadie blinked. "Of. . . course we do?"

"I thought they were discontinued all over the state!" Steven crouched by the freezer, pressing his hands against the frosted glass.

"Oh. Well we're still receiving shipments," Sadie answered. Connie wandered over to peek over Steven's shoulder at the treats and it was at that moment Lars emerged from the break room, eyes immediately falling on the pair in front of the freezer.

" _Ooooooo_ , has Connie got a _boooyfriend?_ "

"Stop being a jerk, Lars," Sadie grumbled.

"We're not dating," Steven replied, unruffled, and turned to face the teenager behind the counter. "We only met today."

_"How romantic,"_ Lars drawled, making faces against the showcase cabinet. Sadie turned and gave him a shove.

"Are _they_ together?" Steven asked.

"No," Connie replied. "I don't think they even really get along."

"Huh. They look pretty crazy about each other to me," Steven replied, watching as Sadie grabbed a doughnut from the cabinet and threw it at her coworker.

"Yeahhhh," Connie said, unconvinced. "Well, uh, maybe now's not the best time to get doughnuts. We could come back on the weekend."

"We. . . could come back? Together?" His eyes sparkled.

" _Oooo,_ someone's in _looooove_ ," Lars called, and Sadie promptly smacked him. Steven flushed.

"Ugh, I'm going now," Connie said, and walked out the door. Steven followed, but not before snatching an ice cream cookie and leaving a bill at the counter.

✧✧✧

Wandering aimlessly, they passed the pier, with Connie pointing out the noteworthy boats by name, and strolled on toward Funland.

"You sure know a lot about boats," Steven commented as they walked through the gates.

"That's what happens when you hang out at the beach and don't swim and. . . don't have friends. . ." She plastered an awkward smile onto her face. "Y-You look at boats. . . Oh, hey Onion." She gave the boy a wave as they passed by.

"Onion?" Steven asked, shooting him a look. The boy stared at him for a moment before taking off toward a game stall and vaulting over the counter.

"That's his name, I promise," Connie replied. "But I seriously wonder sometimes whether he's actually a human boy or whether he's some sort of alien infiltrating Beach City."

Steven's attention was elsewhere. "Hey, what's that thing on your chest?"

She grabbed at her collar self-consciously. "Oh, uh— it's just a necklace."

"Really? I didn't see a chain."

Feeling herself start to sweat, Connie pointed into the sky with a yell. "Hey, what's that?!"

Steven wheeled around, craning his neck. "Where?!"

Scrambling to come up with some sort of explanation, Connie was taken aback when his figure relaxed and he gaped. "Whoa."

"Whoa?" She stared up at the sky, taken aback when an enormous red avian monster came wheeling across the sky, screeching, and beared down on the pier, diving straight for them. Connie grabbed Steven's wrist and yanked him out of the way, running for the nearest cover which just happened to be a ticket admission stand. She hurriedly plunked herself down behind it, back against the stand, pulling Steven down with her and peeking out around the barrier. She winced when she set eyes upon the creature, beak stuck in the pier planking where it had smashed into it.

"What's going on?" he cried, dazed.

"It's a monster," she replied. "I need to poof it."

"What does that mean?"

She sighed. "It has a gem at the centre of its being and its physical form is made of light but it has mass. I need to injure it so it will have to relinquish its physical form and retreat into its gem."

"O— Okay," Steven replied, sounding confused (and rightfully so). "So how are you going to poof it?"

"Something sharp usually works best."

"Usually?"

Connie grumbled, stress rising, and Steven spoke again. "Well. . . have we got anything? What could we use?"

"My sword, probably," she said, tensing as the creature freed itself with a squawk.

"You have a sword?!"

_"YES!"_ She yelled, finally cracking. "I have a sword that I can summon from my gem. I have a gem!" She pulled down the hem of her shirt, the thing glinting in the sunlight. "My mom was a Gem and my dad's a human and I live with mom's Gem friends who are magic and they don't have jobs but they protect humanity from monsters like _those_!" She flung her arm out in the general direction of the gigantic bird, eyes burning. "So now you know I'm weird and that my mom was from _outer space_ so I'm technically an alien and you can run away now and leave me alone!"

She let the tears spill over, resting her head on her knees. Steven just stared at her, gobsmacked. After a moment, he hesitantly reached out. "Connie. . ."

"Just go," she murmured, turning away. "I don't have any friends anyway."

"No, that's— that's not what's happening at all!" He laid his hand on her arm, and when she turned to look at him, his eyes were soft. "I like you, Connie. You seem really cool and I don't care that you're half-alien or half-Gem or that your mom came from outer space." He flushed. "Actually. . . the only reason I was riding my bike across the beach today was because I wanted to meet you."

She blinked at him in shock. "What?"

He gave a nervous laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. "Hah, yeah, I. . . my parents have been getting ready to move for a couple of years now, and last year they came here to check the place out, see if it would be a nice place to live. The Boardwalk Parade was on and I saw you there watching it. You dropped your bracelet. I picked it up, but then I couldn't find you." He dug into his pocket and produced a neon pink bracelet, still glowing faintly. Connie gasped. "I saved it in the freezer so it would last longer, in case I saw you again."

Connie could feel the tears coming again, for completely different reasons now. He slipped the bracelet onto her wrist and smiled. "And when we moved here. . . I've just been sticking around to see if you would be out. I saw you on the beach the other day so I went riding." He held his hands up. "But I swear, I didn't crash into you on purpose. I saw something glinting in the sand and it blinded me for a second. I think I ran over it and that's when I lost control."

He grimaced. "It looked a bit like a jewel. Red. It had, like. . ." He waved his hands in an approximation of its shape. "All those. . . what do you call it?. . . facets on it. Weird it was on the beach." Suddenly, he lit up. "Actually— wait. You said you have a gem, right?"

Connie blinked. "Yeah. . ."

Steven pointed a thumb back over his shoulder. "And so does that bird."

Her eyes widened, finally understanding. "The Gems must have dropped it coming back from one of their missions! It must have reformed on the beach and followed us!"

Steven looked confused. "Which gems?"

Connie sighed. "I'll tell you later. Right now I've got to poof that monster." She peered around the ticket stand, but the creature was nowhere to be seen. Suddenly, there was a loud screech, a snap and the stand jolted, and Connie fell back to see the monster trying to perch on the stand umbrella. It was too heavy and the thing was breaking.

"Steven, quick!" She scrambled to her feet and grabbed him by the hand, pulling him up after her and sprinting across the pier to the arcade. "Hide in here. Just. . . stay here until I get the monster."

"Are you sure you'll be able to poof it on your own?" he asked, concerned. When she hesitated, he squeezed her hand. "If I can, I'm here to help."

"Thanks." She gave him a heartfelt smile and let go. "Um. . . do you think you could buy me some time while I try to summon my sword?"

He nodded, expression set, and ran to the other entrance, waving his arms and shouting. The bird turned, sighted him and squawked, launching off and making a beeline for him. Just as it would have grabbed him in its claws he retreated into the arcade, the monster shrieking as it tried and failed to squeeze through the too-small entryway.

_Okay._ Connie took a breath and closed her eyes, hiding behind the doorframe. _Come on, sword. Don't fail me now._ Another screech and the flapping of feathers right next to her, this time. She shied away and opened her eyes to see Steven backing away from the first entrance again. She offered him a cursory nod and shut her eyes again.

_Concentrate! Sword, come on!_ She felt something moving within her gem and strained. _Come on, come on! Summon sword! Summon sword!_ A _chink!_ and she looked down to find the hilt protruding from her chest, immediately grabbing a hold of it and drawing it out. Steven stood a few paces from her, eyes wide. "Wow. . ."

She pointed to the second entrance and he nodded, running to it and drawing the bird after him. When the thing moved away Connie ran through the now-unguarded first entrance and behind the bird, brandishing her sword. _Would it be better if it was facing me?_

_"Hey!"_ she yelled, and the creature turned around, screeching. She waved her sword. "Over here!"

It came rushing at her, wings spread, feet pounding, and she raised her sword. She felt a jolt from her hands and a beam of light shot from the tip of the blade, narrowly missing the huge bird. She felt her mouth drop open, stunned, and the monster took this moment to duck its head and whack her weapon from her hands. The sword went arcing through the air and clattered to the deck a few yards away. The bird rose over Connie, now weaponless, and she threw her hands up in defence.

The creature opened its beak and beared down on her. Just as it would have snatched her up, the bird squawked and spun around. Steven stood behind it, a large red feather in hand. He shot the thing a nervous grin before turning tail and darting back into the arcade. Bent on revenge, the creature followed him with an ear-splitting caw, giving Connie time to scrambled over to her sword and snatch it back up.

_Okay. Laser. How do I laser?_ She held the thing up, aiming it at the bird, and squeezed the hilt tight. _Come on, come on, I need you, or Steven's birdfeed!_

Another errant beam shot from the blade and just past the bird's head, scorching a hole in the arcade wall. It spun around, locked her in its sights and charged. She lowered her stance, sword aimed. _Wait. . ._

Its feet pounded against the pier. _Wait. . ._

It raised its head in a screech, spreading its wings and exposing its chest. _NOW!_

With impeccable timing, the blue laser again shot from the sword and this time, finally, found its target. It sunk straight into the bird's chest and it stopped, giving a scream before disappearing in a billow of smoke. Its red, faceted gem clinked to the wooden planks.

_"YEAH!"_ Connie pumped her fist in the air, letting her sword dissipate.

_"Woooohooooo!"_

That was Steven, running across the pier with his arms thrown wide. When he reached her he almost knocked her over in a bear hug, and she flushed, patting his back awkwardly. Feeling her hand he immediately pulled back, giving another nervous smile. "Oh, I'm sorry."

_"CONNIE!"_

She raised her eyes to see the Gems pounding across the boardwalk. In typical fashion, Peridot was flying just above the ground by means of her propeller in her state of panic, and sped ahead of the others and landed right in front of Connie.

"What's going on?!" She glanced around, taking in the destruction. "Oh, no no! What did you do?!"

"Connie didn't do anything." Steven stepped in front of her, flashing her a dazzling grin. "She was amazing."

"Wha?" Peridot stammered. The others gathered behind her.

"There was this huge bird gem monster," Steven explained. "That's what wrecked everything. But Connie poofed it all by herself!"

"Steven helped," she said, a little bashful.

Peridot appeared to catch sight of the gemstone lying on the pier as she hurried over, voice pitched and babbling in worry. Lapis only shook her head and smiled at Connie, ruffling her hair. "Great job, Squirt."

"So, this is your family?" Steven asked, looking between Jasper and Lapis standing together and Peridot fussing over the gem.

"Yeah," she smiled. "They live with me in the beach house. This is Lapis—"

The blue Gem gave a small wave. "Hey."

"This is Jasper—"

The huge Quartz folded her arms, affording him a nod.

"And that's Peridot."

"Who is this human boy, anyway?" the latter jabbered, popping up beside them. "What's he doing here?"

Connie shook her head. "This is Steven. He just moved here—I was showing him around when the bird showed up."

"I can see why Connie's so cool," he said, ever the charmer. "Just look at her family!"

Lapis grinned. "I like this kid."

It was at this moment Steven's phone buzzed and he pulled it from his pocket, checking the messages. He looked up to Connie apologetically. "I'm sorry, my dad needs me to come home now. Maybe I'll. . . see you around?"

Connie fingered the bracelet around her wrist. Her smile was warm and genuine. "Of course."

With a happy wave, he turned and jogged off down the pier. Lapis nudged her. "You like him?"

Connie spluttered. "Uh, no! I just met him today!"

"And he gave you a bracelet already?" she winked. "What are you even going to do with something like that?"

"I'm going to put it in the freezer," Connie said.


	4. Connie's Falcon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Connie gains an avian ally in the desert.

"Are we almost there?" Connie whined, sweat dripping.

Before them, a sandstone column disintegrated and collapsed down into the sand, leaving behind a sizeable dune. With a sigh, Jasper slogged forward and over the thing, the others in tow.

The sun beating down from above just made the dry desert even more unbearable, and Connie was regretting bringing only five bottles of water—she had deeply underestimated how long the trek would be. Now, three bottle lay empty in her backpack, plastic crinkling annoyingly with each step. Next time, she resolved, she would bring eleven—four for the journey up, two for the mission itself, four for the trip back and one extra for good measure.

As they reached the top of the dune, another large column collapsed and from behind it, a large, distant temple came into view. Connie swallowed dryly, resisting the urge to dig out another water bottle. "Is that it?"

"Yes." Peridot stepped up beside her, examining the projected map she had been following. She used the touch stumps on her free hand to tap on the pyramid icon, enlarging it.

"And why are we here?" Connie asked, confused. "It looks stable enough to me."

Peridot sighed. "This temple is powered by a gem and seems to have lost its architectural direction. All it does is continually build and collapse and its structures have become aimless—it's building columns with no roofs, stairs that go nowhere. . . to put it simply, it's out of control. So we need to secure it."

"Let's do it," Jasper said, summoning her helmet. Beside her, Lapis spread her wings.

Connie, having given in to her impulses and now elbow-deep in her backpack, sighed. "You wouldn't be able to generate any water for me, would you? I'm short for the journey back."

The blue Gem only shook her head, a fond smile on her face. "Sorry, Connster, _my_ water's un-drink-able." She stretched the syllables out for emphasis.

"It's probably best if you stay here, Connie," Peridot told her, projection dissipating as her touch stumps returned to their regular positions. "We'll try and be as quick as possible."

There was a loud, distant screech and Connie blanched. "There aren't any. . . dangerous animals out here, are there?"

"Don't worry, kid," Jasper said, turning to her. "There's nothin' out here you can't handle yourself."

The girl only paled. "W-What?"

"C'mon, Gems!" Jasper yelled, and they three took off down the dune and across the desert, toward the distant temple.

Suitably nervous, Connie trudged down the dune herself and sat at the bottom, pressing herself against the incline for hope of shade from the burning sun. No such luck.

Another echoing screech and a _thump!_ from above, and she started, wheeling around to look up at the dune. Atop it there rested an [_enormous_ blue bird](https://www.instagram.com/p/B8bXffEJQJI/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link), eyes slitted behind a large, hooked beak.

Connie froze. _Maybe if I don't move, it won't attack._ As she watched, it slowly stalked down toward her, and she felt her body flare with panic. _Wait, aren't birds of prey in the desert scavengers? If I stay still, will that make me look like carrion?_ She scrambled back in fright, eyeing its large beak, but surprisingly, once it reached ground level it simply stretched out its neck, staring at her for a moment before it turned around and nestled into the sand.

Fear fading, she slowly stood, padding the few steps over to it. It appeared to hear her and looked around, eyes bright and alert. She stood still for a moment, waiting for it to do something, but it only cocked its head at her curiously. Gingerly, she reached out and rested a hand on one of its huge wings. Shaking its head, it fluffed up and stared at her, giving a high pitched [clucking sound](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNO6acbF7n0). When she retrieved her hand, it stood, turned around to face her and lowered its head, pushing its beak into the hand she still held up. She gave a startled laugh and and stroked the bird, first rubbing along its beak and then lifting a hand to pet its head, to which it gave a litany of pleased [chirps](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNO6acbF7n0).

"Huh," she said, still in a daze. _He's so friendly!_ "So we're. . . friends now?"

She didn't expect him to answer, and he didn't, just stared at her. There was a distant crash and she turned, shading her eyes from the sun and stalking forward a few steps to make out the Desert Temple. She could see Lapis wheeling around the top of the structure.

Something pressed against her back and she looked up to see the bird there again, staring down at her. "Oh, hi there." She stepped forward and it followed, once again pressing itself up against her back, and she bit back a laugh, turning around to face the bird. "Someone's clingy," she cooed, reaching up and giving it a scratch under its chin—a gesture typically reserved for cats, but one that the bird apparently enjoyed, closing its eyes and chirping in pleasure.

"Aww~" Stranded alone (for now) in the desert, she found herself growing fond of the creature. "You're just attention-starved!" Growing bolder, she walked around to its side and hoisted herself up and onto its back, swinging her legs experimentally. "Whoa, you're even big enough to ride!" She leaned forward over his neck and gave him another pat. "You wanna try?"

There was a loud _boom!_ in the distance and Connie started, feeling the ground beneath them tremble and slipping off the bird, landing with a _whump!_ in the sand. With a screech, the bird immediately spread its wings and flapped off, leaving a spray of sand in its wake. Connie turned to see the Gems advancing back across the desert.

"Hey, Squirt," Lapis called, and flapped the last few paces across the sand to stand beside her and extend a hand. "You ready to go?"

"That was fast," she said in surprise, taking the hand and heaving herself up.

"Yeah, well, we're good at what we do," came Jasper's smug reply.

"Can someone please bubble this gem before something happens?" Peridot grumbled next to her.

"I'll take it!" Lapis snatched it from the other with glee, and Peridot shrieked.

"Be careful! If you drop it, it'll start building all over again!"

Lapis only snorted. " _Relax_ , Peri. I've got it all under control." She turned to Connie, spreading her wings. "You want a ride back?"

Connie smiled gratefully. "Yes, please."

✧✧✧

Back at the beach house, Connie flopped onto the pile of cushions in the loft with a sigh. Lapis dropped down next to her, clutching the Desert Glass and its own cushion to her chest. Just as Connie closed her eyes to nap, there came a scuffling from the roof, and she peeked an eye open. "What was that?"

"I dunno, some seagull maybe," came Lapis' uncaring reply. Connie closed her eye again, content with her answer, but then there was more scuffling and then a _thunk!_ from the porch. She groaned, heaving herself up and trotting downstairs.

She opened the door to a flash of blue and jumped back. The bird from the desert stared down at her with vigilant eyes.

"Wh—" She hurriedly stepped outside and shut the door, leading the creature away from the windows. "What are you doing here?! If Peridot sees you, she'll freak out!"

The bird only reached down and nuzzled her with its soft head, and she let out a relenting giggle. "Aww, okay, okay, you can stay." She gazed out across the flat ocean from their vantage point and frowned. "You came all the way from the _desert_? How far is that?" Her new friend only chirruped, shaking its head and ruffling its feathers.

"Well. . . I guess if you'll be following me around, then you'll need a name," she told it, and crossed her arms, supporting her chin with a hand. ["I think I'll name you. . . Archimicarus, after Lisa's familiar."](https://www.instagram.com/p/B8bXffEJQJI/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link)

It stepped around behind her, plonking its beak down on her head, and she laughed, stepping away and turning to give him another pat. "I mean, you're not _exactly_ a falcon—" her eyes travelled over his hulking figure— "But. . . it's close enough." The creature stepped away and pattered over to the window, peeking in, and Connie followed hurriedly. "No, come back! You could scare the Gems!"

"Wow, cool bird."

She whipped around to find Lapis leaning out the door, staring up at her new companion. A moment later, Peridot's triangular head popped out beside her, and she gasped, throwing up a limb enhancer and readying her laser. "Connie, what is that?!"

Connie threw her arms out. "No, no! Don't shoot! He's friendly!" The green Gem lowered her weapon with a confused grimace. "His name's. . . Archimicarus." A lightbulb went off in her head. "Or Archie! For short."

"Hey, Archie!" Lapis grinned, waving up at him. He cocked his head, inquisitive.

"Archimicarus?" Peridot frowned. "Isn't that the name of that falcon in your books?"

"Yeah! He's Lisa's familiar." She gazed up at her new friend fondly. "I don't know, I thought it suited him."

"Where did he come from?"

"I think he followed me all the way from the desert," Connie explained.

"That's some commitment," Lapis mused, propping her hands on her hips.

"Well, don't— don't let it inside," Peridot lectured.

"It's okay, I'll take him out," Connie said, resting a hand against him. "He's no trouble."

✧✧✧

He _was_ trouble.

Archie was well-behaved, sure, but he followed her _everywhere she went_. After their outing she had come back to the beach house and tried to enter multiple times, but he just wasn't having it. Either he came in with her or she stayed out with him, and judging by Peridot's incessant fussing, it would have to be the latter until she figured something out.

She had ventured into town to buy some sort of acceptable treat for him (a pound of mince? liver? steak?) but had ultimately caused chaos with his presence and his insistence on entering every building she did. A dozen cracked doorframes and a hundred pleading apologies later, she decided that the town had nothing to offer them and returned to the beach. In a last ditch attempt, she fetched some rope and tried to tie him to one of the Crystal Temple's fallen stone digits, but after some struggle he broke them off and littered them across the sand. Exhausted, and with the sun beginning to set, Connie trudged back up to the beach house to ask to have dinner outside on the porch, but as soon as she opened the door Archie shoved past her and squeezed into the house.

" _NO!_ Archie, come out!" she cried, rushing in after him, only to see him flap up to the loft where Lapis was presumably still resting. There was a cry and when Archie turned Connie gasped upon noticing the cushion dangling from his mouth. "No, no no no! Archie give it back!"

Needless to say, the bird did not listen, instead electing to flap back down to the floor and squeeze again through the door, tossing the Desert Glass over the porch railings. Connie rushed outside after him to watch in horror as the cushion bounced down the hillside and came to rest in the sand, still for a moment before there was a roar, the beach shook violently and a mass of sandstone structures began to shoot up around it. Determined to re-isolate the Desert Glass, she ran down the steps and onto the beach, the shack door slamming open behind her.

"Connie!" Peridot called, Jasper emerging behind her. "Get back here this instant! The Desert Glass is active and dangerous!"

Lapis stumbled out of the house and Peridot shot her a furious glare. "Why didn't you just bubble it when I told you to?!"

"It was safe with me until Archie came in and grabbed it," Lapis argued.

"Shut it, you two," Jasper yelled. "We gotta get it back before it builds another castle."

"Temple," Peridot grumbled.

Before any of the Gems could take a step forward, Connie's vision was obscured as a raging sandstorm blew up around her. She threw her hands up to cover her eyes, hair whipping around her, and stumbled back, the sandy wind faltered as she entered the eye of the storm and she turned just in time to see the Desert Glass rocket up on a huge sandstone column and out of her reach.

Gritting her teeth, she dashed forward and leapt atop another rising pillar, crouching for balance as it rose up toward the sky. When she noticed it slowing down, she jumped across to another rapidly rising column, and then another, and another, climbing higher and higher to reach the cushion. Just as she would have reached it, the column beneath her crumbled and she was sent hurtling with a scream down towards the ground and a defensive blanket of large sand spikes.

She caught a flash of blue in her periphery and suddenly she was going _up_ , and she glanced down to find a feathery back beneath her. "Archie!" she cried. The bird wheeled around the topmost sand spire, almost hesitant. Suddenly it hit her. "You. . . You came back to protect us from the Desert Glass!"

He screeched back, seemingly in agreement, and she leant forward to give him a quick hug. "Thank you." Through the surrounding sandstorm, she caught sight of a large wall rising, blocking them off from the Gems outside. "It's erecting more defences," she realised. "Archie, quick, get me to the pillow!"

He screeched again and lurched, sending her flying into the air, before flipping over and catching her in his claws before righting himself, soaring straight towards the Desert Glass. With his claws clasped steadily around her torso, she reached out and snatched the pillow right as they swooped over it, and suddenly the air was clear, the columns crumbling beneath them. Archie circled elegantly down to the beach and set her down a little roughly in the sand, flapping in a frenzy before righting himself and landing. She held the offending Desert Glass tightly to her chest.

When she looked up, a huge sand dune was all that was left of the Desert Glass Temple. With a spray of sand, the Crystal Gems emerged from beneath, coughing and spitting. Peridot strode right over and plucked the pillow from her arms.

"Now, WILL SOMEONE BUBBLE THIS FOR ME?!" she yelled, and Jasper took it into her hands with a snort, bubbling it and sending it away. The green Gem visibly slumped in relief.

"Your skills are improving by the day, little soldier," Jasper grinned, and helped Connie to her feet. "Any day now you'll be ready to come with us and fight in our missions."

Connie's eyes sparkled. "Really?!"

"Now, let's not get _too_ hasty," Peridot snapped, still brushing herself down, but softened when she met Connie's gaze. "And, uh. . . good job. You did very well."

"Don't listen to her, Connie," said Lapis, sidling up beside her and leaning playfully on her shoulder. "You were amazing."

Connie could only blush. "Thanks, guys. But I couldn't have done it without Archie."

"The bird?" Peridot was incredulous.

"Yeah, the bird." Connie strode over to him, stretching out on tiptoe to give him a hug. When she let him go, she turned around to once again face the Gems. "So. . . does that mean I can keep him?"

"Keep _that_?!" Peridot cried.

"Well, Holly kept _you_ ," Jasper said loudly. Lapis snorted.


	5. Jailbreak

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Connie wakes up on the white hand-ship and has to save her family. Also, Peridot's. . . SHORT?!

Connie gazed in at the green figure hunched against the wall.

"Uh . . . hello? Are you okay?"

The stout Gem jumped and, peeking through fingers covering much of her face, gazed out at her. She looked to be very much on edge.

Connie watched, waiting for a response, but the Gem just grumbled to herself, irritated.

The girl took a step forward, lifting a hand and pushing her fingers through. The Gem's head snapped up, hands falling from her face in panic, and Connie's eyes popped.

". . . _Peridot?_ "

_"Don't look at me!"_ The shrunken Peridot cried indignantly, and withdrew back into her cell, as if the shadows could hide her meagre form. Her sleeves and leggings crumpled loosely on the ground where they lacked the extra body mass.

"I. . ." Connie didn't know what to say. "Are you. . . okay?"

_"No!"_ Peridot snapped. "Those _clods_ took my limb enhancers! Now I'm. . . I'm. . . _short_!"

Connie hid her smile behind a hand. "You know. . . so am I."

Peridot was quiet for a moment, staring at her from behind her tinted visor. ". . . How did you get out."

"I think because I'm half-human the fields can't hold me properly." She pushed her hand through again in demonstration.

"Connie. . ." Peridot's voice came out through gritted teeth, as if she were struggling with something, and she stood. "Could you. . . _please_. . . let me out?"

"Of course." The girl stepped into the field, shuddering at the uncomfortable feeling, and created a hole with her body. "Come on, quick. This feels awful."

Peridot cautiously crept under her arm and straightened outside, the tip of her starched hair barely reaching Connie's full height. With visible effort, the Gem drew a breath and stood as straight as she could. "I'll find the control bridge. Do you think you can find and free the others?" She paused. "I would come with you, but. . ." She lifted her hands slightly, almost unconsciously as she looked down at them, hidden beneath folds of green material. ". . . I don't exactly have the capabilities at the moment."

Connie nodded. "Right—okay. We'll—We'll try and find you when we're all together."

Peridot gave her own curt nod and shuffled awkwardly down the nearest connecting corridor. "So exposing," she heard her mutter before she disappeared.

Connie stood still for a moment, gazing at where her once-tall caretaker had been before she vanished, and then turned, on a whim, and went in the opposite direction. 

Soon, the empty cells were replaced with a white, unbroken wall. Connie wondered to herself how many cells this ship had—and how many were engaged. She came across a large window and when she glanced out, she caught a glimpse of the Earth sprawled below. She felt a tinge of homesickness, and with some effort, she pulled herself away and ventured further. Soon, she came across another cluster of cells. Only one was active, and she stepped closer, peering in at the short figure inside. Squinting through the field, she could just make out a head of pale, tufty hair.

". . . Amethyst?"

She jumped and turned to gaze out at her.

"Amethyst! Are you okay?"

The Quartz stared at her for a moment, thoughts ticking over, and then spoke. ". . . How did you get out?"

"I. . . I just. . ." Again, she pushed her hand through in demonstration, and Amethyst shied back.

"Wait—no. Stop."

Connie did stop, confused. "What—why? I can get you out of here."

"No, I—I don't want that!" The girl let her hand drop as Amethyst continued. "Connie, I'm _already_ defective! I can't just bust outta here! If they catch us, I can't fight like you can! When we get back, they're gonna decide what to do with us. If we get in even more trouble. . ." She petered off, but Connie understood what she meant.

Slowly, carefully, as if confronted with a timid animal, Connie knelt before the cell and levelled the Gem inside with a steady gaze. "Amethyst. . . what if it doesn't matter what you do now? Wouldn't it be better to try and escape?"

Amethyst only hung her head.

"Hey. . . listen, you can trust me. I saved you before, didn't I? I can get you out of here, and we can find the Gems."

Amethyst visibly bristled and backed away. "No—No. I don't want their help."

"Amethyst, _please_." Connie stared at her beseechingly. "Wouldn't you rather take your chances than just. . . sit trapped like this?"

Amethyst shook her head vehemently, and Connie sighed. "Here, I'll just—"

_"NO!"_ the Quartz yelled, and Connie startled, drawing back. "I don't _want_ your help! If you get yourself shattered, then that's _your_ fault! But I'm not putting my gem on the line for. . . for some group of rebels that ignored me for thousands of years!"

Connie had nothing more to say. Defeated, she stood. "I'll come back for you, okay?" She promised, and turned to venture back down the corridor. Behind her, Amethyst watched her figure retreat silently.

On a hunch, Connie turned down another smaller corridor and jumped when a panelled door slid open in front of her. She flattened herself against the wall. Pearl and the large purple Gem from before strode past.

"We _can't_ leave yet!" Pearl was saying. "The _reason_ we're here in the first place is to monitor the cluster!"

Connie could hear a sloshing noise echoing through the corridor and soon the purple Gem (what was her name? Garnet?) stopped in front of an active cell and peered in. "I would conserve my energy, if I were you," she said coldly. "Need I remind you that I have a Sapphire's ability to see the future? And I don't see you getting out of here on your own. So sit still and _behave_." With that, she turned to her companion. "Holly Blue Agate takes first priority. You may come back and check on the geo-weapon later."

To her credit, the shorter Gem stood tall, fists clenching at her sides. "I am under the service of White Diamond. Do you _really_ think you should go against _her_ orders?"

In a flash of light, Garnet summoned a huge gauntlet around her fist and delivered a skull-rattling punch to the wall. The white panelling cracked. "In case you've forgotten, you are a _pearl_ ," she hissed. " _I_ , on the other hand, am part of the Homeworld elite. I will _not_ let you jeopardise my standing." She turned and strode off decisively, voice firm as she delivered one last line. "I'm already detested enough."

The exasperated Pearl was left standing in the corridor alone. Connie could see the fire in her eyes as she took a breath and turned to head back the way she had come. "Some day," she muttered to herself, "I _won't_ have to follow orders."

Once she was out of sight, Connie peered around the corner to find a slender blue Gem barricaded in the aforementioned cell. Eyes lighting up, she made sure the hall was empty and ran over.

"Lapis!" she whispered loudly.

Lapis visibly brightened, letting her wings (undoubtedly the source of the sloshing sound from earlier) retract back into her gem. "Connie! You escaped!"

"I already freed Peridot," she returned, slipping again into the field and holding up her arms for Lapis to slip beneath. "She's gone to find the control bridge. Now we just need to find Jasper."

Without hesitation, Lapis ducked through the hole and straightened on the other side, listening for a moment. When Connie stepped out of the field she grabbed her wrist and tugged. "C'mon, this way."

"Wait—" Connie tugged back. "What about down here? I just came from that way—that should lead deeper into the ship."

With perfect timing, a distant rumble echoed down the hall followed by an irritated yell. Lapis smirked and ruffled her hair. "Looks like I'm following you this time around. Let's go."

They took off running down the corridor, urgency building within Connie as she remembered the window. The Earth had already seemed so far away—could Gem ships really move that fast? How long had it been? Ten minutes? Twenty?

Another yell and they turned together at a corner and promptly stumbled into Jasper, imprisoned in her own isolated cell. She hadn't seemed to notice them yet, as she punched the wall again in fury.

"Jasper!" Connie called, and the Gem whirled, eyes wide.

"Connie—Lapis! What—How?"

"It doesn't matter." She ran forward and into the field again. Jasper had to shift down to fit through the meagre hole. "Peridot's gone to find the control bridge. We need to meet her there."

"Right." Jasper shifted back to her normal size and took the lead, slotting easily back into the role as leader. "C'mon, then. Which way?"

They tediously manoeuvred back down the corridors, all blindingly white, dazzling Connie into confusion. Luckily, the Gems didn't have retinas and so retained their bearings. They soon found themselves in a large chamber, a hub into which a dozen-or-so corridors fed. Jasper stood in the middle, scanning the walls for Gem script—any indication of where to go next.

_"PEARL! Holly Blue Agate_ _is gone!"_

The shout was distant, but no less intimidating. They both glanced worriedly at the righthand door.

"Garnet," Jasper gritted, cracking her knuckles audibly. "You two, go find Peridot. I'll handle this."

"But—we don't know where to go!" Lapis cried.

The pounding footsteps of the Homeworld warrior were growing louder. Jasper pushed them away. "I don't care! Just—run! Go!"

Panicked, Lapis grabbed Connie by the wrist and pulled her into a random corridor, disappearing from sight. Almost immediately, Garnet entered the chamber behind them, racing through the arch at the opposite side of the room and skidding to a stop a few feet from her enemy.

" _You're_ out, too? Ugh," Garnet said, with visible disgust. "Why even bother? You may be the perfect Quartz soldier but you're only one Gem."

"I may be one Gem," Jasper gritted, "But at least I'm not a filthy war machine."

The fusion bristled, gauntlets flashing into existence. "Say that again."

" _This_ isn't what fusion is for," Jasper bit, and took a step closer, summoning her helmet in retaliation. "Fusion shouldn't be used as a weapon. It's a means of connection! Not some Homeworld warrior gimmick."

Garnet ground her teeth. "That's what _you_ think. _You_ never had to be looked down upon. How much respect does a Ruby receive? Fusion gives us _power_. Status. And it makes us stronger." Behind her visor, her eyes glinted. "You. . . _Crystal Gems_ are just too weak to utilise that."

That was it. Clenching her fists, Jasper ground her teeth. "I'll show you just how _weak_ a Crystal Gem is."

✧✧✧

Connie and Lapis ran for the bridge, having eventually gained their bearings and finally sighting a chagrined Peridot standing in front of the angled control room door. With the help of Lapis' wings on the hydrophobic doorside panel they broke inside. There was a floating white chair at the far end of the room—it spun around, revealing a disenchanted Pearl. Connie thought she saw a buzz of static in her eyes before they cleared.

Gritting her teeth, Pearl summoned a Gem destabiliser from the dashboard and stood, striding towards them. Lapis' modified water-wing-turned-hand reached over and snatched it away. Pearl squawked in surprise, summoning a spear from her gem instead.

With their combined efforts, it was easy to corner and incarcerate the resisting Gem in Lapis' water-fist (they were turning out to be extremely _handy_ ). Peridot immediately zeroed in on the top priority.

"My limb enhancers," she hissed at the struggling Pearl. "Where are they?"

Pearl didn't answer. Instead, she opted to sneer at her, a surprising amount of confidence still left in her. "I don't think you could _reach_ them from your height."

Peridot's gaze threw daggers. She threw her hands up in exasperation, sending her too-long sleeves flopping. Lapis snorted, and the shorter Gem snapped.

["STOP LAUGHING AND HELP ME LOOK FOR THEM!!"](https://www.instagram.com/p/B03ZwXMAIfb/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link) she yelled, voice straining.

Lapis only laughed harder, and Peridot growled.

"Is that them up there?" Connie asked, pointing at a shelf a ways up the wall. Peridot turned and brightened.

"Connie, help me up there!"

Connie stood beneath the shelf and laced her fingers together, creating a step for Peridot and trying to lift her up. Her arms weren't strong enough, so the Gem opted instead to clamber onto her shoulders. Trembling with exertion, Connie straightened, Peridot swaying in the air above her. Another snort from Lapis.

"Shut it, Lazuli!" Peridot yelled, and, steadying herself on Connie's head, she carefully pushed herself to her feet, hurriedly straightening and grabbing onto the shelf.

"I can't. . . hold you. . . for much longer," Connie panted, "Hurry up!"

With a flailing hand Peridot made a grab at a green boot and brought the whole pile tumbling down with her and Connie as the girl's legs gave out. They landed with a combined _oof!_ on the floor, limb enhancers clattering down around them.

Lapis and the imprisoned Pearl broke out together in peals of loud laughter as Peridot scrambled to her feet, scowling. "Connie, help me, quick. We need to turn the ship around."

They fumbled the limb enhancers on and soon Peridot stood, back at her full height, and sighed. " _Much_ better."

"Hurry up, Peri," Lapis prompted.

"Yeah, yeah," she returned, sidling over to the control panel. Pearl struggled more vehemently in her water confines.

"Don't—Don't touch that! You're Era 2! You can't even control the interface!"

"That's why I needed these," Peridot said, flexing her touch stumps, and sat herself down in the strange white chair, turning in determination to the interface and plunging her newly-returned limb enhancers through the holographic keyboard. She stiffened as static filled her eyes and she gave a shudder.

Connie didn't have the space to be worried for her as she turned to a screen capturing the events in the chamber they'd just run from. Jasper and Garnet circled each other, darting forward and exchanging punches, knocking each other into walls—and then, suddenly, where they had been was a giant black hole in the floor.

"Jasper!" Connie cried. Peridot only twitched her touch stumps, directing the ship to turn and face Earth. Another movement and the planet began to grow steadily before them.

There was a sudden jarring explosion and the Gems were knocked forward, dislodging Peridot from her seat and sending Lapis pitching forward, releasing her grip on the prisoner. Now free, Pearl picked herself up and ran forward, falling to her knees and pressing her hands to the floor. The square panelling below her lit up and suddenly she was encased in a spherical pod. Lapis threw herself at the thing but her hands closed on thin air as the pod was spirited away. Through the windscreen, they saw the thing shoot off towards Earth in a blur of white. There was nothing they could do but stand and watch.

Behind them, the door slid open with a hum and the Gems spun around. "Jasper!" Connie cried, alarms blaring. "The ship!—It's gonna go down! We need to find Amethyst!"

"There's no time!" Lapis cried from the floor, ship shuddering around them.

Darting forward, the Jasper captured all three of them in her arms, and on her command Connie enveloped them in a protective blue bubble.

The giant hand crashed down upon Beach City, promptly exploding into chunks with a sonic _boom!_. Rubble rained down upon the beach and into the ocean.

From the comfortable darkness Connie sat in, she heard an ear-piercing screech, and suddenly there was light. She relinquished the bubble around them and the Gems were deposited gently onto the sand, shaken but unharmed. [Archie stood a few paces away,](https://www.instagram.com/p/B8bXffEJQJI/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link) the source of the sonic screech, preening his wings.

"Great work, Connie." Jasper ruffled her hair and when she looked up, her smile was sincere. Then, after a moment, she spun to Peridot.

"Oh no," the Gem groaned.

"Why are you so small?!" Connie cried. "Where'd you get your limb enhancers from?! How long have you had them??"

Above them, Jasper snorted, and, already in enough trouble with her green companion, Lapis hid her knowing grin behind a hand.

"One, didn't you hear that know-it-all Pearl? I'm Era 2," Peridot huffed. "Which means I was made with less resources, less powers, and less mass. Two, all defective Gems or otherwise Gems in need of assistance are given limb enhancers. Your friend Amethyst would have some if she'd recently been in commission."

"Is that why you don't have a weapon?" Connie pestered. "Because you're Era 2?"

Peridot made a non-committal sound, and the girl turned to Lapis. "Wait—what about you?"

Lapis waved her off. "Nah, I'm awesome."

"She means she's Era 1," Peridot scowled.

"Lapis Lazulis aren't created with weapons," Lapis provided. "We don't need them. Our water powers are enough."

"Wow," Connie breathed, and Lapis laughed, helping her up.

Suddenly, there was loud _bang!_ behind them and they turned to find a small red Gem clawing her way out of the rubble. _"Sapphire!"_ she cried, voice hoarse, and was answered with another call from a pile of nearby debris.

_"Ruby!"_ The red Gem ran to the pile, throwing chunks of hand-ship off and heaving from under the rubble a short, prim blue Gem with long hair, who immediately pulled her into her arms. Connie watched, entranced.

After a brief moment, the red one—Ruby—pulled back and gazed at the other with frantic concern. "Are you hurt?"

Sapphire shook her head, clasping the other's hand against her cheek. "No, no. I'm okay. Are _you_ hurt?"

Ruby's eyes were wet and her high voice broke when she answered. "Who _cares_?"

 _"I do,"_ Sapphire replied, and leaned forward, pressing a kiss to Ruby's forehead.

Ruby smiled and pulled back, still gripping her hand as they turned to face the Crystal Gems, and then their forms whitened, melding together and growing taller, refining, accentuating, until the light cleared—

Connie gasped. _"Garnet."_

Garnet's three eyes flashed, and she raised a hand, visor materialising over her face. Her mouth was set in a grim line. "You're lucky she wasn't hurt," she growled, prowling forward, fists clenched at her sides. Connie could feel Jasper's hand tighten on her shoulder, and when she craned up to look at her, the Quartz's eyes were wide, her face slack, as if she'd been punched in the gut.

The newly-realised fusion stopped a few paces from them, gaze cold through her visor. "If I had someone on my side—"

And then there was a scrabble and Garnet stopped, turning. A few feet away, Amethyst struggled out from beneath a large broken panel, gasping in exertion, and, sighting Garnet, her gem lit up, form shrinking down into a purple bird's, spreading her wings and launching off the ground. She didn't get far, as Garnet promptly swiped her from the air by a scaly leg.

"And where do you think _you're_ going?" She transferred her grip instead to Amethyst's wing, letting her hang limply in the air. Defeated, she shifted back to her dormant form, hanging by a wrist.

"Amethyst!" Connie cried, otherwise frozen with fear.

["Amethyst, fuse with me!"](https://www.instagram.com/p/B03eucYA631/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link) Garnet said suddenly, and Amethyst opened her eyes in shock.

_". . . What??"_

"Just think: a three-gem fusion—we'd be _unstoppable_!" Garnet was grinning, eyes glinting from behind her visor. "How long did they keep you trapped here? If you fused with me, if you _joined_ our side, you'd never be trapped again."

She let her down, opening her hand and letting Amethyst drop. She landed on her feet in a crouch, head down as Garnet continued. "If we caught Holly Blue Agate, brought her back to Homeworld—no one would ever question us again. No one would ever question _you_ again. Aren't you sick of being looked down upon? This is your _chance_."

Slowly, Amethyst stood. Her shoulders sagged with exhaustion, and her eyes found Connie's, tired, vulnerable. _"Amethyst,"_ the girl pleaded, meaning evident in her tone. The Gem opened her mouth to reply, but stiffened when Garnet's low voice came again.

"Aren't you sick of being treated like there's something wrong with you? Of being called defective?" Amethyst turned. "When really, you're just as powerful, just as important, as any other Gem?" The fusion extended a hand. "If you come with me, you'll never be treated as inferior again." Her grin was hostile. "Just let go."

Amethyst hesitated for a moment, staring at the fusion, and then her eyes hardened. Taking a breath, she steeled herself and stepped forward, offering her hand.

Garnet seized it with verve.

They two swept through a brief, club-style dance, concluding as Amethyst fell back and into Garnet's arms. The last thing Connie saw before their forms whited out was Garnet's expectant grin, her hard eyes.

The white form expanded with a flash, stretching a set of four large limbs as the thing grew larger, taller, rising, rising, until a shock of hair exploded around its head and the white faded. The fusion opened five piercing eyes and grinned down at them, flashing large, sharp teeth.

The Gems quivering before her, she laced the fingers of two hands together and stretched them with a satisfied sigh, knuckles cracking. The two now deep purple gems on her palms glinted. Next, she pulled the two hands apart and held them out, palms—and gems—face-up. With a flash, Garnet's gauntlets materialised in the air over them, and then, drawing a long, studded whip from the gem on her chest, the fusion threw the supersized gauntlets into the air, lashing her whip, catching it around a loop on the conjoined weapons and yanking it back to the ground with a _boom!_. Sand flew up in all directions and settled to reveal a crater carved by the enormous, newly-formed flail.

Her grin was venomous. With one of her rear arms, the fusion summoned another whip and raised it, about to strike—when suddenly, the arm jerked, lashing the thing around the fusion's waist and then through the loop on the flail. She gasped, eyes wide behind tinted shades, and catching her unawares the rear arms darted forward together, picking the flail weight up and lobbing it into the ocean with a distant splash. Immediately, the fusion grabbed her traitorous arms with her front set, holding them down and gritting her teeth. _"What are you doing??"_

Her voice was dual-tone, Garnet's smooth timbre prominent in her anger. When she opened her mouth again, Amethyst's gravelly voice burst forth. _"I. Won't. Let you hurt her."_

_"What?"_ came Garnet's voice, and suddenly the rear arms—the arms under Amethyst's control—broke free from the Homeworld soldier's hold and drew two more whips, lashing their forearms together and yanking them back toward the sea.

_"I'm trying to HELP you,"_ the fusion hissed, and Connie and the Gems watched in awe as she began to slowly, but surely, pull herself back, dropping to her knees in the surf and straining against her binds. The whips tangling her body tightened and then she was dragged back as they began to reel themselves in, to where the flail had been deposited deep in the ocean. _"Let me GO!"_

_"Never,"_ came Amethyst's cutting voice. _"You can't trick me into joining your side. I know EXACTLY what you're trying to do and I WON'T LET YOU HURT HER!"_

From where she knelt on the sand, Connie felt tears sting her eyes.

The studded cords tightened further, dragging her forcefully back into the tides. The bound Gem roared, form destabilising as she struggled within herself, straining with every fibre of her being against the unbridled power she had manifested within _herself_. She gouged furrows in the sand with her body as she was dragged back with a scream.

It was at that moment adrenaline shot through Connie's body and she pitched forward and onto her feet, barrelling to the shoreline. _"Amethyst, NO!"_

The fusion was submerged, shoulders-deep in the water, petrified face straining above the surface. Hearing Connie's desperate shout, she stilled, turning to the girl on the beach. Her eyes were sad. _"I'm sorry, Connie,"_ came Amethyst's voice. And then, she gnashed with effort, sharp teeth flashing, and disappeared beneath the water.

Connie stared helplessly at the ripples left on the surface of the water, the only evidence of the horrors that lay trapped beneath.

The crackling of fire was the only sound to be heard on the otherwise deathly-silent beach.

". . . Why would she do that," came Jasper's voice, and it was strangled. "Why would they let power twist them that way?"

Connie turned and found, with shock, that her guardian's eyes were wet. Her fists clenched at her sides, trembling slightly. " _No_ relationship should have to be like that."

Lapis appeared at her side, laying a hand on her arm.

Connie's ringtone pierced the scene, and slowly, dazed, she reached into her pocket and drew the phone out, accepting the call. ". . . Hello?"

 _"Connie!"_ came Steven's frantic voice. _"I got your message, are you okay? Everyone's evacuated—we're waiting on the highway. Do you need me to come back? What's going on?"_

Silence.

_". . . Connie?"_

Feeling her strength drain away, she dropped to her knees in the sand, the enormous fusion's last words echoing in her head, and let herself cry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Connie's here to tell you that you deserve to be treated with respect and granted equal civil rights no matter your skin colour.
> 
> Steven's here to tell you that banding together with other minority groups is a great way to show support and to grow your cause.
> 
> A sullen Garnet is also here to back up both of these points and to encourage supporting local black- and other minority-owned businesses in times of need. This extends to people of Chinese and Indian heritage in the wake of cruel prejudice in relation to the coronavirus.
> 
> Jasper's here to tell you to slam your enemies into the ground.
> 
> Peridot's here to cautiously correct that you have every right to defend yourself if attacked first and without cause.
> 
> Lapis is here to tell you that each and every one of you matters and that your personal safety is a priority. If you cannot make it to a riot because your health and safety is at risk, you don't need to feel guilty for that. You can support the BLM movement in other ways.
> 
> Doug is here to tell you that it is within your right as a U.S. citizen to stand up to oppressive and corrupt policing forces and also that you have a right to remain silent and contact your lawyer if arrested.
> 
> Greg Universe, having been involved in many riots over the decades himself, is here to tell you to wear eye and skin protection to riots in the face of tear gas and rubber bullets.
> 
> Lapis is here again to tell you to bring water to your riots. Stay hydrated and stay on hand to help someone if needed.
> 
> Rose Universe is here to tell you that it would be wise to bring your own first-aid kit to riots either for yourself or to assist others. And also that, in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, wearing medical masks at riots is a good way to protect yourself and to also get screened for COVID-19 after contact with large groups to ensure your and others' safety.
> 
> Pearl is here to tell you that, if you are still practicing self-isolation and if you do not have money to donate to black charities, there are multiple videos up now on YouTube that you can watch (or play on silent in the background while you do other stuff) for the cause. Many caring YouTubers are ensuring that the revenue from the ads on these videos are being donated to organisations that need funding.
> 
> Bismuth is here to enthusiastically vouch for the deposing of racist, homophobic and otherwise oppressive state leaders, but please take with a grain of salt that this message may be tinged with the author's bias.
> 
> And finally, Amethyst is here to tell you that you are loved and valid no matter where you are, what your social standing, your gender identity, your romantic/sexual preferences or your ethnicity. Be proud to be yourself! There's nothing wrong with being you, and with being proud of your heritage! It's up to you and your allies to right the wrongs of your ancestors and to forge respectful and healthy bonds with members of other communities today!


	6. Connie's Dream (Zoo Arc: Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Connie dreams of a broken blue palanquin. . . and though Lapis warns her not to go near it, who's going to tell a teenager what she should and shouldn't do?

_Blue lotuses, vivid upon lilypads, floated upon calm water reflecting a lush backdrop—a grassy expanse, a clear sky and a glint of blue—_

. . . _Connie?. . ._

_The voice is disembodied and distant, carried on the breeze that ripples the grass._

_Connie?. . ._

_The view is constant, locked like a video camera during a scene in a movie._

"Connie!"

Connie woke with a start. She had fallen asleep on the couch in her dad's apartment. It was dark outside.

She became aware of the movie onscreen and sat up, feeling rather. . . damp.

"You okay, honey?" Doug asked, settling a hand on her shoulder. "You fell asleep during the movie. I was going to let you get some rest. . . but then you started sweating. Are you okay? Were you having a nightmare?"

Connie paused, grimacing. "No, I'm fine. . . _ugh_ , I don't know why I'm sweating so much. . . ew." She yawned, and Doug checked his watch.

"Oh, gosh, look at the time! Let's get you home."

Connie smiled tiredly. "You know I like staying with you, Dad."

Doug's eyes were tender as he patted her head. "And I love having you. But the Gems will get worried if I keep you for too long. Besides, what if they need the most important Crystal Gem for an unexpected mission?"

Connie shook her head, but the smile remained. " _Sure,_ Dad."

✧✧✧

". . . Actually, you missed quite a lot! You want to try and guess the plot twist?"

"Was the investigator lighting the fires?"

He turned, eyes wide. "How on _earth_ did you figure that out?"

Connie shrugged. "It's the oldest plot twist in the book. Not to mention the beginning was heavily stereotyped."

Doug looked incredulous, and she sighed. "Damsel in distress? Under-appreciated female colleague?"

Doug shook his head. "You'd make a fantastic sociologist."

Connie stepped up onto the stairs to the beach house and paused. "Dad. Before you go . . . can I ask you something?" She turned and gauged him cautiously.

"Of course, honey." He gave her a soft smile. "What's on your mind?"

"Did Mom ever talk to you about. . . Blue Diamond?"

Doug stared at her for a moment, before sighing. "Not really. There were some things she didn't like to talk about. I didn't press her on them."

"Why not?" Connie could feel herself growing a little desperate.

Doug shook his head and started up the stairs. "Holly and I talked about a lot of important things—the law system, social issues, things we were interested in," he said, wedging onto the step beside her. She sat down next to him. "Everyone makes mistakes some time in their lives. That doesn't mean we need to wallow in those mistakes. Sometimes. . . leaving trauma behind is the best thing to do."

Connie thought for a moment. That. . . was true. But since her mother was gone, that trauma was now hers. Or at least, some of it. The issues that came from it were now hers to handle.

"She was a private person that way. Even if it could have helped, I know she wouldn't have told me everything. And that's okay. What should matter is the person you become after that—whether you continue to hurt or help people, whether you grow from it. And. . . she recovered incredibly in the time I knew her. Sometimes what you need is just someone to listen and support you. And. . . I really hope I gave her that."

Connie gave a soft smile, feeling for the gem beneath her shirt. ". . . You're a great person, Dad. She was lucky to have you."

Doug flushed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Oh, well, I'm sure the Gems helped too."

Connie laughed and stood, leaning down to give him a peck on the cheek before ascending the stairs. "Goodnight, Dad."

"Goodnight, Connie."

✧✧✧

_Blue lotuses, vivid upon lilypads, floated upon calm water reflecting a lush backdrop—_

I'm here again?

_Connie craned her neck up to the clouds, and reacted with surprise when the view complied._

I guess that means I can look around. . .

_Her eyes tracked up the branches of a tree overhead, and then scanned across the forest._

What is this place?

_A glint caught her eye—light refracting off a polished blue surface._

What's that?. . .

 _She followed the arc of the thing, which led back—_ up _—to a huge, intricately patterned . . . thing. It was almost like a chamber . . . on legs?_

Wow. . .

_She was just taking notice of the environment around the structure, the masses of lotus flowers growing in the water, when_ _—_

Connie's eyes blinked open and, feeling sticky, she kicked the covers away. She didn't feel hot, yet her clothes stuck uncomfortably to her body.

She frowned. _Again?_

✧✧✧

Connie cleared the coffee table with a swipe, sending papers flying. "Don't worry, I'll clean that up before Peridot gets back!"

She sat and gazed at Steven seriously. "Now, the book."

He handed it over and she set it with a _thunk!_ on the table, turning the cover and searching the contents page. "So that dream I had? I swear I saw something about it in here—" It was remarkable that such an ancient piece of literature should be so well organised, but she supposed that was a testament to Buddwick's character. Connie picked up a handful of pages and flicked hurriedly through them, searching, until she stopped and slammed her hand down on an illustrated page, pointing. "There!"

He leaned over. "The. . . 'Palan-quinn'? Whoa—that's so cool! You saw that thing?"

"Actually, it's pronounced palan- _keen_ ," she corrected him. "And yes. I think it means something." Further back in the house, the warp pad chimed.

Connie brightened. "They're back! They've got to know something about this thing!" She grabbed the tome and rushed over with Steven on her heels.

When the light from the pad cleared, Lapis opened an eye. "Hey."

"Hi guys, do you happen to know anything about this thing?" Connie motormouthed, and held open the book.

"Oh!" Peridot gladly stepped forward, calling on her touch-stumps to present a data panel. Onscreen was a palanquin diagram, a humanoid figure and a size key along the side. "That's a Gem palanquin! Humans have actually adapted this design over the years—primarily in India and the surrounding southern Asia, but those are typically carried by people or large mammals. _This,_ on the other hand—" The projection zoomed in on the contraption— "Is completely mechanical! Gem palanquins are usually powered by separated and neutralised nebula gases."

"Ooooh!" Connie's eyes sparkled. "What are they used for?"

"Typically to parade important and uptight Gems. The Diamonds have the biggest ones."

Behind her, Lapis stiffened.

"Diamonds?" Connie asked. "I had a dream where I saw this palanquin, and Steven and I were wondering maybe if we could go there, we—"

"Connie," Lapis interrupted nervously. "Uh. . . I wouldn't. . . do that."

The other Gems turned to her questioningly, and she faltered. "I mean. . . it could be dangerous, right? Homeworld Gems, all that stuff. . . right, Peridot?" She turned to the green Gem for support.

Connie frowned. Lapis rarely called her by her full name. That usually meant that they were fighting—or that Lapis was on edge.

Peridot thought for a moment, and then nodded seriously. "Yes. If such a valuable piece of equipment was left behind during the War, Homeworld sentries could return to bring it back. Especially if. . ."

She glanced at Jasper. Jasper nodded.

". . . Especially if it belonged to Blue Diamond," Peridot finished cautiously.

Connie brightened. "Hey, it _was_ blue in my dream."

The Gems looked confused, shooting each other darting glances. Eventually they settled on Peridot, who raised her limb enhancers in defense. "How am _I_ supposed to know what a human-Gem hybrid dreams about?"

Connie sighed and lowered the book. "Point is, I've dreamed about this thing—this _place_ —twice now, and each time I've woken up sweating. I feel like there's something important about it."

The Gems were silent for a moment. Lapis shifted uncomfortably. Jasper seemed to pick up on the motion and stepped forward decisively. "We're not taking you there, Connie."

_"What?"_ she burst out, flinging her arms wide. "Why not?!"

"It could be dangerous," Jasper insisted. "And besides, Holly Blue never wanted for you to see that place."

"Holly Blue wanted. . ." she growled, voice rising to a shout. "What about what _I_ want?! I'm this close to figuring something important out and now you're keeping me from it? Holly Blue is _my_ Mom! Out of anyone, don't _I_ deserve to know the truth?"

"Connie, let's calm down," Lapis interjected nervously. "Why don't we just—"

"No! I need you to take me there! Something important could be happening and I deserve to know what!"

"Uh— I'm sorry," Steven said, rubbing his neck. "I probably shouldn't have brought the book."

"Yes, you should have! It's lucky _something_ has some information that I don't have to get out of _them_!"

All three Gems recoiled, shocked.

When Connie spoke next, her voice was calm but determined. "Steven, I need to borrow this book."

He hesitated before replying. "Okay, but just be careful. . . we gotta return it to the library in a week, remember?"

"Thank you," she said, walking past him.

"Wait, Connie, where are you—"

A hand on his back stopped him, and he looked up at a stern Jasper, eyes fixed on Connie as she slipped out through the door. Lapis bustled past them, wings at the ready.

Sat in the middle of the staircase, Connie gazed intently at the image. The creak of the door made her look up.

"Connie—don't go. Just. . . stay here, with us."

She sighed and craned back to look up at the Gem. "Lapis. . . I just want to know what's happening with me, for once in my life. Aren't I allowed to know about myself? About my mother?" She let her eyes fall. "Even if she _was_ a war criminal?"

"We just. . . if she sees you, you could—"

Connie stood abruptly. "Who? If who sees me? What did you see?"

Lapis faltered, looking embarrassed. ". . .Please don't go."

Connie turned away. "I will."

And she padded down the stairs, mounting her bike at the bottom and riding off across the sand.

Lapis paused for a moment. Throwing a quick glance over her shoulder, she lifted herself into the air, and flapped up into the clouds.

✧✧✧

Doug was at his desk, filing away shift reports, when a knocking at the door disturbed him.

Standing and stretching, he strode out into the entryway and opened the door to Connie, clutching a thick, leather-bound book. "Dad, I need your help!"

His eyes lit up. "Yes? With what?"

"Well. . . there's this place I saw in a dream, and it's real! But the Gems won't take me there." She pointed at the map displayed on a stained page. "I think it has something to do with Blue Diamond."

Doug lifted an eyebrow. "Blue Diamond?"

"Yes! And. . . And I know that that's probably something Mom wouldn't tell you about. But it's important to me."

Doug gave her a soft smile and knelt beside her, resting a hand on her shoulder. "And that's important. Thank you for coming to me."

He pressed a kiss atop her head and then, with an excited glint in his eye, he sprang up. "Now, just let me go get my jacket and my badge!"

✧✧✧

With a smidgen of money to spare on leisure (overflow resulting from Doug's recent promotion), father and magical hybrid daughter caught a luxurious first-class flight to Asia. With a few hours to go on the flight, Connie had found herself gazing again at the illustration in the book.

"Don't overwork yourself, honey," Doug had whispered. "We can have some fun on this trip, too."

"We don't have time for fun!" She'd whispered back. "This is an important mission with high stakes!"

Doug made a noncommittal noise. "Theravada Buddhism is the main religion in Thailand, you know. There are hundreds of beautiful old temples. . . we could visit practicing monks. . ."

Connie paused.

" _And_ , of course, there's nothing like traditional _Pad Thai_ made by experienced hands."

Connie's stomach grumbled. She shifted a little in her pillowed seat. "Well, I guess we have time for a little fun," she had conceded.

Unsurprisingly, as it turned out, Thailand was incredible. Expansive plateaus, lush rainforests and bustling Bangkok; and, dotted through the countryside, humble little villages, inhabited with haggling traders and playing children.

In the city they went shopping and tried the local food, and in the _Pathum Thani_ province they visited the _Wat Phra Dhammakaya_ temple. After attending a dozen Theravada lectures and bunking for four nights in elegant hotels, they finally caught a bus to the _Phra Sì_ temple complex.

Connie stepped hurriedly off the bus and gazed up at the prestigious temple. Four golden, bell-shaped towers loomed over the main structure, adorned with thousands of Thai verses and intricate carvings. Humanoid figures posed as columns beneath a once-painted roof, and when the afternoon light caught the huge double doors, four large, carved diamonds gleamed back at her.

"This has to be it," she breathed.

"This is it," said Doug behind her, examining the map. "The 'Four Monks' temple."

"I can feel something," she gasped, and ran forward, throwing open the doors and disappearing inside.

_"Connie!"_ Doug cried, horrified, and hurried after her. "You can't go defacing ancient Buddhist temples!"

"This isn't a Buddhist temple," she puffed, skirting shrines and darting down a long passageway.

Eventually they came to the end of the complex and broke out into the warm summer air. . . to find themselves in a beautifully tended garden. When Doug reached his daughter, panting for breath, he set a hand on her shoulder—only to immediately yank it away.

His hand came away clammy with sweat, and he spun her around to find dark locks of hair plastered to her face. "Connie—are you okay?"

She pulled away, determined. "I feel fine. Let's keep going."

"But—" he pressed a hand to her forehead— "You're burning up!"

"Dad." She removed his hand and stared pointedly across the garden. It was bordered by a tall green hedge, offering escape through a pruned hole and inset gate. "This means that we must be getting closer. Come on! We're almost there!"

Hesitantly, Doug trailed behind her until they reached the gate. Up this close, Connie could see that yellow police tape had been tied across the gate—fastened in a familiar pom-pom bow.

"Peridot," she whispered, and ripped it away, stepping through the arch and into a serene forest. Tentative footsteps rustled the grass behind her as Doug padded through.

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a sharp glint of light. Gasping, she turned, and pelted off again.

With a groan, Doug followed after her, almost smacking into her when she came to a stop.

"Dad," she breathed, "Look."

They found themselves in front of a huge, polished pink structure hung with curtains. It sat on what looked like angled legs and inside sat a grand carved throne.

"This is it! But. . . this one's different." Connie gazed up in confusion at the pristine palanquin. "In my dream it was. . . decrepit and blue! This one's in perfect condition!"

Just then, a furious scream echoed through the forest, and the ground shook. Connie froze.

"Okay, Connie," Doug said cautiously. "I think we should leave now."

_"BLUE!"_

A high, strained voice echoed back to them from somewhere close. When Connie turned she could just make out a tall, pink figure through the spiked leaves of an obstructing plant. She edged over and peered through.

The pink figure stood in front of an even larger blue palanquin, this one broken down and half-sunken into the water of a previously hidden lagoon. The calm water was dotted with lilypads, blooming with striking blue lotuses.

The pink figure, curly hair bouncing, advanced on the palanquin, dealing it a vicious punch. Cracks ran up the structure and Connie winced. _What a brat._

"This is _my_ colony," the supposed Gem seethed, trembling with anger, and turned to the water, picking up a stone and pelting it into the lake. "You just had to take it from me. Like you took _everything_! My planet, my organics, my Court—you couldn't be happy, could you?"

Suddenly, Connie's knees buckled beneath her.

_"Connie!"_ Doug whispered in distress, catching her. "What's wrong?"

She lifted her hand to find she was shaking. "I. . ." Her hand was wet. Her shirt stuck to her body with moisture.

When she next lifted her eyes, she found that the tall pink Gem was now sitting calmly on the banks, furious tears streaming down her face. "You and Yellow took it all," she whispered. "And now I've got even less than before."

"Pink, I think someone's here." A high voice, unnervingly close, and Connie and her father jumped.

The Gem on the banks—'Pink'?—hurriedly swiped an arm across her face. "Wh— Pearl? What did you say?"

"I think someone's here," the Pearl repeated, even closer now. "I heard voices."

"You stay here," Doug whispered, and set his daughter gently on the ground, drawing a shaky breath and stepping boldly out into the open. A surprised gasp came from the other side of the plant.

"It is my duty as an officer of the law to ask what you are doing in an unauthorised area," came Doug's voice.

Connie facepalmed.

The pink Gem abruptly turned, eyes wide. "Pearl?"

Connie could see the Pearl now—her pink hair was drawn away from her face in two tight, curling buns, and she wore what appeared to be some form of leotard with a transparent drape hanging down to her ankles. Her feet were enclosed in what looked like pink ballet slippers.

The Pearl beamed excitedly, pointing at Doug. "My Diamond, it's a human!"

Slowly, 'Pink' stood, padding cautiously over and stopping a few feet away from him. After examining him for a moment, she too broke out into an infectious smile and held out a gloved hand.

Unsure what to do, Doug stepped forward and took it, planting a quick kiss on the back of her hand. The Diamond laughed, surprised. "Oh, how amazing! I didn't know you humans still lived here!"

She stepped away, and Doug followed hypnotically. Connie bit her lip, but kept silent.

"Uh, yeah," her father replied eloquently. "We're. . . we humans are sort of everywhere."

"So, how do you find life here?" Pink asked, oddly conversational. "Isn't it just. . . beautiful here?"

Doug nodded, and she continued. "It used to be mine—all of this." She swung an arm around at the lagoon, the forest. Her face darkened. "I wanted to keep it like this. Keep the organics. Keep the humans. But. . . Blue took it from me, and left. And then. . ." she trailed off, eyes distant.

Doug was silent for a moment. ". . .Were you two close?"

Pink looked wistful. "I. . . I don't know. We could have been." She stepped away and again sat on the banks. Doug joined her, trailing loafered toes in the water.

"I'm sorry. That's hard," her father said sympathetically. "I lost someone. . . very important to me, too."

Pink looked surprised. "You did?"

"Yeah. . . she was the love of my life." Connie felt a guilty pang in her chest. "But she gave up her life to have our child. That was twelve years ago. But I still miss her."

Unexpectedly, Pink laughed. "Twelve _years_? That isn't very long."

Doug looked resigned. "Maybe not to you. But to a human, twelve years can be a very long time." Pink fell silent, eyes on the water. "And she's not coming back, ever. Loss like that can be. . . traumatic. Especially when that person meant so much to you."

Pink clenched her fists, beginning to tremble. "Yeah, well, what if they didn't? What if you _wanted_ them gone?"

Another wrack of violent shaking came over Connie, and she gasped, dripping sweat. Pink seemed to calm a little, and spoke again, quieter this time. "What if they hurt you?"

Doug thought about this for a moment, pulling his feet out of the water. "That's hard. Sometimes the expectations of others make you want to feel a certain way about loss, even if it isn't genuine."

"This planet is the last piece of happiness I have left," Pink murmured. "And soon, it'll be gone too."

Doug straightened, alarmed. "What? What do you mean?"

"Yellow planted a Gem-bomb. . . a 'geo-weapon', in the Earth's core. She says it'll only be a few years now until it ruptures." Decisively, she stood, taking Doug's hand and pulling him up. "But I can save you. You don't deserve that."

Doug recoiled, shooting her an anxious smile. "Ah, that's. . . really nice of you. But I think I'm fine here."

Pink smiled pityingly down at him. "I know it's hard to leave this place. But I promise, you'll be safe and happy in the Zoo." She turned to the Pearl and motioned beyond Connie's hiding spot to the pink palanquin. "Pearl, let's go."

The Diamond waved her hand and Connie's father was enveloped in a huge pink bubble. She tried to cry out, but though the trembling fit was subsiding, it had left her weak. She scrambled aside as Pink Diamond and her Pearl strode past, her bubbled father in tow. Inside the bubble, Doug banged against the walls and shouted, but Connie couldn't hear a sound.

Pink Diamond took a wide-legged stance, staring pointedly beyond the trees, and a leviathan pink set of legs rose from somewhere in the forest, balancing on mechanical heels. _That thing's huge_ , Connie thought, shrinking away from it. _Like the Empire State Building._

The Diamond sashayed toward her pink palanquin, the huge legs thundering forward as she moved, and ducked inside with her Pearl—and Doug, still fighting—before it shut them in with folding metal panels and rose into the air, angled legs folding beneath it, and shot off toward the legs, disappearing into them via an entry panel somewhere on top.

Connie struggled to her feet, straining and dashing toward the mechanical legs—the ship? the leg ship?—gem flickering as she utilised her enhanced speed. She could begin to see the pink metal through the trees as she grew closer, closer, until suddenly they moved, walking toward her and then breaking into a sprint, crushing trees beneath deadly heels. Connie veered off track, diving and narrowly missing being squashed. She pushed herself up and turned—just in time to see the ship take a comical hop and _launch_ , shooting off into the sky. Mustering the last of her energy, Connie threw out a hand and summoned a comet-sized blue orb, ready to shoot—

The ship flew towards it and crashed right through it, splintering the ball into shards of bright, useless light.

In a couple of seconds, the ship was gone. All Connie could see was the clear blue sky, stretching far, far away, to the reaches of space.

Connie let herself slump, helpless, tears burning. "Dad. . ."

There was a sloshing sound, and then a thump. She couldn't be bothered to fight any more, and resigned herself to her fate.

"Connie! I'm— I'm so sorry!"

She opened her eyes with a start. ". . . Lapis?!"

Lapis sunk to her knees before her, holding her arms out. Connie pushed herself up and scrambled into them, sobbing.

"I'm so, so sorry," the Gem continued, voice strained. "I. . . I was on patrol here earlier. I saw Pink Diamond, and. . . and then you wanted to come here. . . it was too dangerous. She's too dangerous. _They're_ too dangerous! I'm so sorry, Connie. . . please forgive me."

The girl took a deep, steadying breath, and wiped her eyes. "No, I'm. . . _I'm_ sorry, Lapis. I should have listened to you. If I'd just stayed home like you said, none of this would have happened."

Gentle fingers stroked her hair. "But, hey. . . at least you got your answers."

A little roughly, Connie pushed her back and stood up. "Those answers cost me my Dad."

Lapis' face hardened. "They don't have to. Let's go tell the Gems."

She stood up, spreading fluid wings, and held out a hand. "We'll do whatever it takes. We'll get him back."

Connie stared at her for a long moment.

She took her hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DISCLAIMERS:
> 
> In Makalawa's AU, Blue and Pink Diamond switch roles in the Diamond Authority. I changed this because I love Pink too much and I'm a gremlin.
> 
> Also, I completely abandoned my usual thorough 110% research. This was more like 70%. Pls don't come @ me for being culturally inaccurate—
> 
> And I'm heavy on my flower symbolism. You go Google that shit.


	7. Gem Heist (Zoo Arc: Part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Crystal Gems sneak into Pink Diamond's Zoo under the guise of a visiting Homeworld technician and her companions. Shenanigans ensue.

As their ship drifted closer to the enormous pink structure, the Gems grew quiet. The tension in the air was palpable. Connie noticed with mild alarm the Red Eye floating nearby, keeping watch.

"The Human Zoo," she murmured, drifting back to the main ship.

"That thing's _huge_ ," Lapis gasped, colour draining. "Will we be able to find Doug in there?"

"We will if we go directly to the containment area," Peridot said, taking a rough scan from where she stood. "It has to be large, because it was constructed with ample space for specimen containment, storage, synthesis labs, barracks and vehicle bays."

"You're such a _nerd_ ," Lapis groaned.

" _Excuse_ me, my assigned job was highly important," Peridot sniffed. "I've visited this complex multiple times to assist with technological malfunctions."

"Calm down, you two," Jasper piped, seated at the controls, and turned her gaze upon the Zoo. "We can take that thing. We're Crystal Gems! And we'll poof every sentry in there if we need to."

The three behind her shared dubious looks.

"Ambitious," Peridot muttered.

"My Dad has to be in there," Connie insisted. "Pink Diamond said she was taking him to the Zoo. We just have to find him and. . . sneak out."

Surprisingly, as they neared the entry bay (Jasper at the controls and Peridot directing at her shoulder) the panels opened easily. Still, everyone held their breath as they passed through the security field into the port. No alarms went off, no guards came running.

Peridot exhaled. "The ship's still registered."

"Let's hope no one thinks to check inside," Lapis said drily.

The vehicle drifted into a vacant bay. Jasper noticed two large figures by the doors and grumbled. "Of course there'd be Amethyst guards standing watch."

"But you're both Quartzes, right?" Connie said hopefully. "We don't have to fight them. Maybe we can just. . . blend in?"

"You really think we can just sidle up to that door and ask for your Dad back?" Lapis said incredulously. "Keep dreaming."

Beside her, Peridot grinned. "Oh, I think we can do it. I only left Homeworld thirty years ago."

Lapis spun to her. "I only left Homeworld _six thousand_ years ago!"

"And I'm a famous soldier," Jasper snapped. "How are we supposed to get in there without being caught?"

" _You_ will have to shapeshift," Peridot instructed, and turned to Connie. "I'm here to fix yet another malfunction in the containment area. You're a human I caught lingering near my monitoring base on Earth. I had no choice but to abduct you and bring you here for. . . imprisonment."

"Charming," Connie said.

"And? What about me?"

Peridot sighed and turned to Lapis. "You're. . . a. . ."

"You don't know, do you," the blue Gem smirked.

"Yes I do! You're. . . my assistant Lapis Lazuli. You were assigned to help clear land for my base."

"And _why_ would I be assigned to a Peridot?" Lapis snarked. "Last time I checked, terraformers don't work for nerdy technicians."

"Because you're _defective_ and you proved to be incompetent on other jobs," Peridot snapped. Lapis was stunned into silence.

Connie broke in nervously. "Peridot, that's a bit too far."

Jasper stood abruptly. "Yeah Peridot, shut your geeky mouth now."

_"Jasper,"_ Connie said, exasperated.

"Lazuli started it," Peridot grumbled.

"Okay," Connie interrupted. "Let's just. . . be nice. And work together. My Dad's somewhere in there and we need to get him back."

With twin flashes, Lapis and Peridot altered their uniforms, each now sporting a yellow diamond insignia. Jasper glanced out the windscreen and followed suit, branding herself with a pink diamond and shifting a little smaller, darkening her hair.

"This better work," Lapis grumbled, shooting Peridot a poisonous look.

✧✧✧

The Ruby ship opened, making Amethyst guards turn their heads. The motley crew filed out of the ship one by one, Connie hanging loose in Jasper's muscular arms.

As they advanced, the guards took stock of the newcomers. Important technicians were usually saddled with Quartz protection—nothing too unusual, save for seeing a Lapis Lazuli and a Peridot together. . . come to think of it, whenever had a Lapis Lazuli had a use at the Zoo?

The fairer of the two guards shot her partner a look and spoke in a growl to the advancing Gems. "State your purpose."

"I was called upon to fix a technicality in the specimen containment sector wiring," Peridot announced, stepping forward. "This human encroached on my base and so I had no choice but to detain it. I think it would be wise to keep it here."

The Amethyst raised an eyebrow at the others. "And. . . them?"

"This is my—assigned—Jasper, and—"

"I'm here to make changes to the terrain of the humans bit," Lapis blurted.

Peridot shot her a look.

"Well, bad news, the Human Zoo's shut down," the Amethyst replied, and grinned menacingly, stepping forward to shove her face close to Connie's. "Which means we'll just have to throw _you_ into _space_."

Connie gasped, sweat beading on her forehead. She felt Jasper's arms tighten ever so slightly around her.

"Heh! Look, she believed me," the guard suddenly said, and straightened, nudging her partner and sniggering.

Footsteps echoed down the hallway and the Amethysts turned, completely at ease. In the doorway stood a similarly built pink Gem, raspberry tufts tumbling over her shoulders, faceted gem glinting against her upper arm.

"Hey guys! What's going on?" she asked, warm eyes drifting over the gathering.

_"Good evening, Rose Quartz!"_ the guards chanted.

"These Gems came to fix up the Zoo," the second Amethyst replied simply.

Rose Quartz squealed in excitement. "More visitors! Wow, we haven't had this many Gems come to visit since. . . since forever!" She paused, eyes drifting to Connie. "Ooo! And what about the human?"

"I brought her for the collection," Peridot answered. "I had no choice but to obtain her when she breached my communications base on Earth."

"Would you like me to take her for you?" the bouncy newcomer asked. "I'm sure the first one would like some company. He was rather upset when they brought him through."

"That was Dad," Connie whispered. Jasper nodded.

"Pink Diamond would have loved to receive her herself, but she just left. I'm so sorry!"

Lapis exhaled.

Rose Quartz moved forward, reaching out to Connie. "I can take her from here—!"

"Actually," Peridot interrupted, stepping between them. "I would like a tour of the facility, first. Me and my. . ." she threw a glance at Lapis. ". . .terraforming companion would like to. . . gather some more information before we begin tampering with the systems."

The Quartz paused, evidently surprised, but recovered quickly and shot her a brilliant grin. "Of course. Come with me!" She gave a pointed look at Jasper. "And I'm so sorry, but unauthorised Quartzes must stay in the loading bay. You can hang out with these guys!"

Jasper looked taken aback. "But, uh— shouldn't I take this human to the Zoo—?"

Rose Quartz shook her head. "There's no need. A human as small and cute as this one can't cause too much trouble!"

Hesitantly, Jasper set Connie on her feet and stepped back. The girl shot her a sympathetic glance before being taken up by Lapis and walked through the door. Rose Quartz stood back to let them and Peridot through before closing the panel behind them.

"So! Let's get started," Rose said, wheeling around and hastening to lead the group. "This place belongs to Pink Diamond, and it's kinda like a boarding facility for the Quartzes she produced on Earth before it was abandoned. Since the dawn of Era 2, my Diamond has enlisted me as her chief organiser! I oversee matters here and look after the Amethysts."

They came to an angled door and Rose bustled to the panel beside it, unlocking it with ease and ushering the Gems through. On the other side she slowed beside another interface and activated a panel beneath their feet, which faded into transparency, treating them all to a bird's-eye view of the leviathan complex beneath them, hovering in space. Beyond it, they could make out the patrolling Red Eye.

"The bottom half of this place is devoted entirely to keeping the humans safe and happy," Rose supplied, and she gazed fondly down at the structure. "At first, they weren't too happy to be here. But they got used to it! I'm sure this new human will love it here as much as all the rest do."

She returned the panel to its original solid form and continued walking, jabbering as she went. "Before, Blue Diamond used to help Pink with managing this place. But of course, after Blue was shattered, all responsibility fell to my Diamond—which was why she asked for me help—oh! And I forgot to mention that we also keep all the out-of-commission Holly Blue Agates here. After the rebellion, the Diamonds grew paranoid. . . there were rumours about that cut being a defective strain. . . so unfortunately, they were all bubbled and locked away. Some day, I'm sure, my Diamond will release them. She hates that they've been treated like this. . ."

Lapis gave Connie a reassuring squeeze when she hung her head.

". . .Down here is the Bubble Chamber—you can see the door just there—and here's the human disposal chute!"

Connie gasped in horror and Rose Quartz turned around, looking guilty. "Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot that you're, you know. . ." she laughed apologetically. "Anyway!"

"How do you get in the Zoo?" Connie whispered to Lapis, sweat dripping.

Peridot overhead and spoke up. "So how do you actually get into the containment area?"

"That's a great question!" Rose exclaimed, excitement brimming. "Actually, a few times we've had to go inside and sort things out. We've always done that through this service door!"

The door she stopped in front of was engraved with curving patterns and two five-petalled flowers—one on each panel. Inside the flowers sat what looked like five-pointed equilateral diamonds. Off to the side was another dormant interface and framing the door were two polyfaceted pillars, carved in the midsection into what looked like human figures with very prominent ears.

"That's how we can get to Dad," Connie whispered to her companions. "We just need to. . . come up with a distraction!"

Subtly, Peridot set off an klaxon on her limb enhancer system. Rose Quartz wheeled around in alarm. "Wha— What's that?!"

"It sounds like there's trouble in the loading bay," Peridot said a matter-of-factly. "I think it would be a good idea to go check what's happening."

"Great idea," Rose said, slightly panicked, and ran past her, grabbing hold of her by a limb enhancer and pulling her along.

"Wha— but, I've got to look after the human!" Peridot cried, stumbling along after her.

"Lapis Lazuli will look after her!" Rose panted back, hauling her along the corridor with impressive strength. "Hey, that's so weird! The alarm stays the same volume all the time!"

As soon as their footsteps receded, Connie wheeled around. "Quick, Lapis! We don't have much time!"

Lapis nodded. "You go for the door, I'll deal with the interface."

Summoning an orb, Connie raised her arms and aimed at the door, blasting it with bolts of bright energy. Lapis summoned her wings, shaping them into tendrils and prodding at the panel, splashing and poking at it in hopes of finding a way in.

Three minutes and twelve orbs later, Lapis stepped back and sighed. "I can't get inside—this thing's watertight!"

"What!" Connie cried. She stared forlornly at the door, blackened with multiple singe marks. "But—it's too strong to break through! Are you sure you don't know how to work it?"

Lapis shrugged hopelessly. "I've been out of commission for six thousand years. Before that, I never had reason to open a door."

_"Ah—looks like I'll have to fix your alarm system too! Don't you know it's protocol to update complex technology every hundred years?"_

Connie groaned in despair. They were back _already_?

The Gems came into view around the corner. "Wow, looks like we've been ducking under the radar for millennia!" Rose Quartz said. "I'll have to tell Pink to bring in another technician when she visits again— oh, _no_!"

She stopped with a gasp when she set eyes on the defaced door, and rushed forward to rub at the marks. "Oh, it looks like we missed cleaning day _too_! And we have visitors! This is so embarrassing. . ."

"Ah— no, really, it's fine," Peridot replied, shooting her friends a dubious look. "It happens to the best of us—"

_"Rose Quartz!"_

The aforementioned Gem spun around as two Amethysts came thundering down the corridor. "Rose! Pink Diamond's on her way!"

Rose gasped. " _Again?_ But— But we haven't cleaned up! 8XF, please help me clean this up—and XH, take this human to be cleaned!"

The guards moved forward, happy to comply, and Connie was wrestled away.

Peridot was horrified. "But— we haven't finished the tour!"

"I'm so sorry, but we'll have to stop here," Rose apologised. "But you'll be able to meet Pink! I'm sure she'll like to thank you for the delivery."

Peridot and Lapis froze.

"Well, quickly, guys!" Rose cried, exasperated. 8XF stepped up to scrub at the door, and Connie was whisked away, staring helplessly after the Gems.

Three dark, closed-off corridors later they came to a stop at a panel embedded into the wall. "Let me go!" Connie cried, squirming in the guard's grip.

"Huh," she mused, plucking at her clothes. "You newer humans are so spunky. In you go!"

And with that, she dropped Connie into the opening, panels sliding closed behind her.

She barely had time to sit up before the space became awash with neon light and the ground beneath her began moving. When she turned, she found herself on some sort of conveyor belt, walled off from space by a large transparent tube, being ferried towards the top of the huge floating structure they called the Human Zoo.

As soon as the pink walls closed in around her, she became subject to dozens of harassing blue digits, capturing her profile, examining her teeth, squishing her face, checking her pupil dilation, taking her temperature, shoving themselves up her nostrils, undressing her, disinfecting her, cladding her in naturalist garb and finally attaching a pair of futuristic accessories to her earlobes. When finally the blue digits retreated, she found herself walled off in a transparent cube.

She stood, shouting and waving his hands animatedly, expecting the worst. "Okay! What else? What else you got for me? I'm—I'm ready for whatever it is! Come and give it to me!"

What happened next wasn't quite what she expected. From somewhere above her a rush of water crashed down and filled the cube, levitating her off the ground. A human-sized hole opened beneath her in the bottom of the cube and a strong current pulled her through, sending her plummeting in liquid down, down, zigzagging through the atmosphere, tumbling and turning, and finally tossing her up (up?) into the air, and back down again as she crashed into shallow water. She pushed herself up, coughing and gagging, and opened her eyes.

What she saw wasn't at all anything like what she expected. She was surrounded by sand, and beyond that, lush green grass—blossoming trees framed the sky and the dome above her was bright and blue and housed its own miniature sun, beaming down warm light and setting the water sparkling.

On the bank across from her, sat on the checkered grass were three figures, all clad in purple and white robes, threading colourful flowers through tufty hair. The closest looked to be a young woman with fair skin and blonde hair that bounced around her shoulders. The farthest was a healthy man of around the same age with smooth, dark skin and curly black hair. The middlemost was of average build, muscle hidden beneath years of desk work, tan skin peeking out from underneath clothes. Their hair was short and spiked in crazy tufts, and on top of their head sat a delicate flower crown. When they turned around, Connie could make out stubble and a nervous smile—

_"Dad?"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh, I hate how this chapter turned out. I hope it doesn't take away from your reading experience. . .
> 
> DISCLAIMERS:
> 
> In Makalawa's AU, only the Holly Blue Agates were bubbled and so Pink Diamond employed another type of Agate to manage the Zoo. I just thought, since the Rose Quartzes aren't bubbled in this. . . and that it would just be easier for Pink to hire a Gem already there. . .


	8. Escape x5 (Zoo Arc: Part 3)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beta Kindergarteners, sad space tyrants and a daring escape. . . not that anyone was really chasing them to begin with.

"You two are in _big_ trouble," the Amethyst had snarled, and promptly marched them out of the paradise.

A maze of darkened corridors later they finally found themselves in front of a squat door. She opened the panels using the interface and dropped them on the floor inside.

"These the ones?" she said. Looking down at herself, Connie now realised that her gem was in full view.

Ominous laughter echoed from all points of the room Connie shrunk back, scanning with wide eyes, before a tall orange Quartz advanced from the corner of the room, muscled arms banded, nose gem glinting—

She gaped.

". . .Jasper?"

"There you are, Little Holly," she chuckled, and grabbed her by the hand, hoisting her to her feet. "How was your stay in the Zoo? And—is that a loincloth?"

The whole chamber rumbled with laughter.

"Jasper, what's going on?" Connie's voice was wary.

Jasper grinned and flung an arm out. "All these Quartzes are from Earth, like me! Like you!"

"We're not all champions like you, though," a dark-skinned Amethyst huffed.

"Cool it, 8XL," Jasper fired back playfully. "I've been outta the game for too long anyway."

Another ripple of laughter.

" _Finally_ , someone tolerable from the Beta Kindergarten," someone else sighed, and Connie turned to a slender orange Gem across the room.

"That's Skinny Jasper," Jasper explained. "Not as big as me, but made from the same stuff."

"You wish," Skinny grinned. "I may not be the perfect Quartz soldier but at least I'm not a rebel."

"Is that really a good thing?" Jasper teased.

_"Jasper,"_ Connie hissed. "We don't have time for this! We need to get out of here before we're caught!"

"Don't worry, they're all on our side," the Quartz replied. "It'll be easy to find the others." She turned to a smaller red Gem standing by the door. "Carnelian, can you open this thing for me?"

"Sure thing!" She tapped in a pattern and the doors slid open. The Quartzes filed out, surrounding the escaped humans and hiding them from view.

"There you all are!" A familiar excitable voice floated down the corridor and Connie froze, glimpsing a flash of pink through the bodies.

"Okay, line up, everyone! I need to make sure everyone's here and accounted for after the Zoo incident!"

Gems shuffled into place. Eyes wide, Jasper pushed Connie away. "You two, run. I'll find you

"Run! Just run," Amethyst said in a panic, pushing them down the corridor. "I'll find you—go!"

✧✧✧

Connie activated and ran through the first door she saw. Perhaps not such a wise decision, as it shut with a _clang!_ behind them as soon as they were inside. When she raised her eyes, she was surprised to be met with hundreds—no, _thousands_ —of blue bubbled gems hovering around the room.

"The Holly Blue Agates," she whispered.

They were standing on raised platform, accessible by a large set of stairs against either wall. Dotted around the room were tall faceted pillars, and settled in the recess between the stairs was a gigantic plush pillow. The whole room was pink. When Connie craned her neck, she found above her not a pink ceiling, but an enormous glass dome. Beyond the glass, tiny jewel-like stars glittered against an inky void. Startlingly close, a gigantic orange ball—a ringed planet—loomed over the comparatively tiny room.

Doug gazed up at the masses of bubbles clustered around the ceiling. "These. . . These are Agates? There are more of them?"

Connie opened her mouth to answer when suddenly she found her palms clammy and trembling, her shirt wet. She started, pulling her father behind one of the towering columns. "Oh no—she's here!"

And not a second too soon. On the far side of the room, a dizzyingly large set of doors slid open to reveal the same tall pink figure from before. Beside her stood her companion.

Pink Diamond stomped into the room, her footsteps resounding like thunder. "Pearl, close the door."

The Gem behind her obediently locked the door and stood by, waiting.

Pink Diamond marched into the centre of the room and stood, fists clenched by her sides. She lifted her head to the ceiling and drew a breath. Just as it looked she was about to scream, she sank suddenly to her knees and let out a wail. Her delicate face, though childlike, had what could be described as adult proportions, and he dainty nose remained turned up the the stars. Her eyes shone with tears, and even as Connie watched, the water trailed down her face as she blinked. Her pale curls gathered about her head like a cloud, and in the mysterious light the room afforded the reversed diamond against her navel sparkled.

Unexpectedly, the door opened again with a groan, and there stood hugely tall figure, this one rigid and proud. The spiked helmet on her head gave her an extra few feet of height (as if she needed any!) and the gemstone against her chest glinted warmly.

_Yellow Diamond._

There was a frown on her face when she spoke. _"Please tell me you're joking."_ She took a few booming steps forward. _"You only just left, and you're already_ back _?"_

"It's none of your business what I do with my time," Pink replied cuttingly, hurriedly wiping at her eyes with gloved hands.

_"And what of these gems? They should be shattered."_

"It's not fair to punish all of them!"

_"You need to get over them—you need to get over her. She is gone and has been for six thousand years."_

Pink whipped around, wet eyes boring into her. "I should say the same to you."

Yellow Diamond froze for a moment, something inscrutable flashing across her face before her expression settled again. _"At least_ I _am functioning like a Diamond, Pink."_

Connie pulled her father back to the door they came through. The interface would not respond to her fingers.

"That's all you care about!" The smaller Diamond whirled fully, fists clenched. "About being a Diamond! You don't care about me, you don't care about Blue—you never did!"

Noticing their vulnerable position, Connie hurried back over to the pillars, Doug in tow.

_"Of— Of course I do. You're being ridiculous, Pink."_

Pink said nothing, trembling and gritting her teeth. After a few moments, Connie's hands began to shake, and then a tear dripped down the smaller Diamond's cheek. It splashed loudly to the floor, echoing in the empty chamber.

Yellow Diamond stopped, hardened expression falling. Doug tapped Connie's shoulder. When she turned, her eyes settled upon the tall doors on the far side of the room.

Behind them, Yellow Diamond sighed. _"Pearl. Do something. Sing for her—make her feel better."_

"Yes, my Diamond," her Pearl replied with enthusiasm. She cleared her throat and nudged her pink companion, and together they struck up a warbling tune.

With the noise as a diversion, Connie and her dad ran behind the next pillar.

 _"_ Why _would you want to be here?_ _"_ Yellow Diamond bent down to meet Pink's eyes. _"_ _What do you ever see here that doesn't make you feel_ worse _than you do?"_

Pink Diamond hung her head, which urged Yellow to continue her lecture. _"Why would you want to save the subjects that_ destroyed _her?"_ she stood and with a wave of her arms cleared the bubbles from around her head. _"And why keep up this silly Zoo?_ _Gems are created with a purpose_ _—and if they cannot fill that purpose, or if they go against it, they are of no use to us."_

Face twisting in anger, Pink summoned a faceted shield—waving her hand, it split apart into dozens of sharp fragments, and she sent them flying towards the older Diamond. With ease, almost dismissively, Yellow shot a current of electricity at the missiles, which dissipated on impact. She threw Pink a poisonous glare and turned away—Connie and Doug crossed to the next pillar, and closer to the door. They now stood at the top of the first flight of stairs.

Pink Diamond, not wanting to listen any longer, turned away and jumped atop the ledge. If she had happened to glance to her right, she would have seen the two humans. Panicked, they scurried down the stairs and away from her.

Yellow Diamond approached again and raised her voice, evidently not finished. _"You've got to be a leader! Or at least try."_ She paused. _"Yes, we still love her. . . but now there's nothing we can do."_

The Diamond's gaze dropped to the floor, and Connie took the opportunity to grab her father's hand and run across the small landing to the next staircase. Now all that was between them was a flight of stairs and a few feet of exposed floor.

Evidently deciding that the song wasn't doing anything, Yellow clapped her hands twice, and the Pearls' melody dropped away. Instead, she scooped a resistant Pink up in her hands, lifting her onto a higher ledge so she could communicate more clearly.

 _"How can you stand to be here with all of this?"_ she continued, _"You're drowning in your own regret—your own anger!_ _—_ _wouldn't you rather forget her?"_

Pink's only response was to fist her hands in her hair and screw her eyes shut. _Stop,_ the pose said, _I've had enough._ Yellow obviously didn't take the hint.

_"Won't it be grand to get rid of it all?"_ she smiled drily. _"Let's make a plan of attack—we need to start looking forward, not back. We can't_ change _what has happened."_

Connie and Doug cleared the last flight of stairs, resigning themselves to hide behind the furthest pillar in the event that the door would open.

 _"Yes,"_ Yellow Diamond continued, tone softening, and she knelt in front of her companion, taking one of Pink's tiny hands in her own, _"Of course we still love her, and we're always thinking of her."_ She sighed, letting her eyes close. "Don't you know I miss her too?"

Her voice broke, and she pulled away to gaze at the opposite wall. When she next spoke, her usually strong voice was fragile, and she steadied herself against a pillar, squeezing her eyes shut. "But what's the use of feeling blue?"

Pink paused for a moment, staring forlornly after Yellow. The smaller Diamond looked. . . ashamed. Cautiously, she skirted the ledge to stand beside her, and rested a hand on her arm. As if on cue, the large doors opened, startling Connie and prompting Pink to snatch her hand away again.

"Here we are, everyone!" came Rose Quartz's voice, and she padded into the chamber with Lapis and Peridot in tow. A set of Amethyst guards remained standing sentry outside.

When the door slid shut, Rose Quartz raised her arms in a salute to her leader. "My Diamond," she began, raising her head, and her eyes widened. "Oh, Your— Clarity! I wasn't expecting you here, as well."

"What do you want, Quartz?" Yellow Diamond replied brusquely.

She cleared her throat. "I'm sorry. I just thought that you—Pink Diamond—would be glad to know that this Peridot, who has been stationed on Earth, has brought you a new human!"

Pink's expression remained neutral. "Thank you, Rose."

"She and this Lapis Lazuli also dropped by to tend to the malfunctioning circuits and to tend the. . . Zoo."

Connie and the other Gems froze. Pink looked confused. "What? But I never called for anyone."

She looked at Yellow. "Did you. . .?"

"The Zoo is not my business," Yellow replied, and turned to Rose Quartz's convoy. "I apologise, Pink Diamond can be forgetful sometimes. Of course, you are more than welcome to tend to the upkeep of the Zoo."

All three Gems in the Diamonds' audience seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. Connie's shoulders slumped.

Rose Quartz turned to leave.

"Peridot," Yellow Diamond called.

She froze. "Yes, Yel— My Diamond?"

"Has the cluster emerged yet?"

"Uh— no, it has not."

Yellow nodded. "Notify your superior when it does. That will be all." Like before, she gave two precise claps, dismissing the Gems and moving away.

The Gems filed out through the door. Connie and Doug barely made it out just in time before the doors crashed shut behind them—but not before she saw Yellow slumping down on the steps through the crack.

Once outside, Rose Quartz turned and began leading them back. Connie noticed, with some relief, that Jasper had also found her way back to them. Rose was uncharacteristically quiet as she led them back through the corridors—they walked in silence back to the loading bay, and slipped quietly past the Amethyst doorguards, who straightened and said nothing.

Once they reached the bottom of the stairs, Rose Quartz stopped. The Crystal Gems froze behind her.

After a moment, she sighed. "I know you aren't who you say you are."

Lapis gasped. Peridot struggled to maintain her composure. "Whaaat? That's ridiculous! Of course we came here to secure and maintain the Zo—" She stopped, eyes wide.

"You never asked to be taken to the control base," Rose Quartz said, and turned around with a soft smile. Connie and Doug were too shocked to move.

"Lapis Lazulis never terraform indoors, and I could recognise that gem anywhere." Jasper lifted a hand to her face, shooting a panicked glance at Connie. "And, of course, humans don't come back out of the Zoo."

In an instant, Jasper's helmet materialised, Peridot summoned a laser and Lapis activated her wings. Rose Quartz laughed. "You don't have to fight—you're free to go." She turned away and spoke again, quieter this time. "I'd give anything to go back to Earth."

A moment of silence.

"You can come," Connie offered.

Rose Quartz laughed. "Thank you. But I'm needed here." She shot a mischievous look at the Amethysts at the door. "Besides, I've got family here. And you have yours back on Earth." She steadied herself, and then shot them her usual dazzling grin. "Now get outta here. There's one too many active Holly Blues in this Zoo."

Connie wasn't quite sure what to say. "Thank you so much. . ." _That was a nice start._

There was cheering behind them and Connie spun around. Crammed in the doorway were dozens of Amethysts, Skinny Jasper and Carnelian. Jasper grinned back at them and waved. Connie felt a hand on her shoulder and turned.

Lapis smiled down at her. "Let's get you and your dad back home."

✧✧✧

Jasper pulled the Ruby ship out of the loading bay in a grateful silence. They all gazed out at the pink structure, flanked by two enormous anatomical ships, backlit by the enormous orange planet.

"Thank you so much, guys, for coming to get me," Doug said gratefully. "That has to be. . . one of the most amazing experiences of my life." He ruffled Connie's hair fondly. " _And_ I got to investigate with my daughter."

"Dad, I'm really sorry I got you into. . . all of this," Connie said, hanging her head. "This all happened because I wanted answers."

"Honey, you don't have to be sorry about anything," he smiled. "I hope you found what you were looking for."

"I did. I found you."

At the controls, Jasper smiled. Then, she keyed the coordinates into the interface, and the ship warped away from zoos, Diamonds, and human disposal shoots. . . back home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The shift between italicising Yellow Diamond's speech and leaving it as default is the differentiation between Connie seeing her a a scary space tyrant and coming to realise that she is just as much a person too.

**Author's Note:**

> DISCLAIMERS:
> 
> In Makalawa's AU, Blue and Pink Diamond switch roles in the Diamond Authority. I changed this because I love Pink too much and I'm a gremlin.
> 
> Also, I completely abandoned my usual thorough 110% research. This was more like 70%. Pls don't come @ me for being culturally inaccurate—
> 
> And I'm heavy on my flower symbolism. You go Google that shit.


End file.
